A common influence... maybe: Gustav Klimt

Over the years, I've noticed that there has been a growing number of artists (especially the younger generation) how have been delving into the styles of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Be it due to the appreciation of the classics or the fact that they are trying out something in the style of one of the artists known during that time, it's always interesting to see what is created. One such artist that during the Art Nouveau movement that seems to be popping up a lot on my little radar is Gustav Klimt.

"Sea Serpents" by Gystav Klimt

Austrian born artist Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), known by most people for his painting The Kiss (1907-08), actually went to the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts originally to study architectural painting. A set of three works in the late 1890s of human forms were actually thought of as being too radical and even pornographic in nature and was destroyed. It was after such a negative response to his work that he stopped accepting public commissions and continued his work, giving us some of his most well known works such as Portrait of Adele Block-Bauer and Danaë.

Wandering deviantART, it took me a bit of time to narrow down my search simply because of the Art Nouveau following in the community is much broader then some might think. Picking out 5 that may have been influenced by Gustav in some way, I sent out my question:

"With so many lovely and colorful pieces, I was wondering if the Art Nouveau artist Gustav Klimt been one of your sources of inspiration?"

"Face" by TaKe-bamboo

TaKe-bamboo.deviantart.com (Japan)

An anonymous digital artist and student out of Japan going by the pseudo-name of TaKe-bamboo, their work seems to focus more in the genre of fantasy. Exaggerated forms with a cool-color palette, each pieces has a soft almost atmospheric quality to them. Their body of work on display seems to quietly meld bits and pieces of Eastern and Western styles, creating in this fusion a gentle harmony so that each piece tells a wordless story to the viewer. Their response to my question was simple and as graceful as their pieces.

"yes, and Mucha, Galle etc..

I like the work of Rene Lalique, personally.

I am interested in Art Nouveau art and Symbolisme ." ~TaKe-bamboo

Unfortunately, the other 4 artists who I had contacted have yet to respond but this is more then likely due to the time of year and have other business to take care of. There is also the fact that there is perhaps a language barrier to consider as well. With that, I present to you the remaining artists in this particular case and leave it up to you to see if they have been in some way influenced by Gustav Klimt.

"Klimt" by aditya777

aditya777.deviantart.com (Indonesia)

Aditya Ikranegara, a digital artist located in Indonesia focuses mostly on fantasy and the female figure. Quite often meshing the two together, he is perhaps more known within the deviantART community for his pieces entitled Flower (which he also offered a look of a step-by-step look at how he came to the final piece) and Demon Queen-01. Another element that seems to be a common theme in many of his pieces is how he makes things appear whispy and suggestive, as if he was just doing a quick study of a concept. This 'unfinished' quality is perhaps a signature of his work since it lends itself so well with catching the viewer's attention.

"Loch Garry Transition" by NaismithArt

NaismithArt.deviantart.com (United Kingdom)

Located in the United Kingdom, traditional artist Scott Naismith uses oils on canvas to create his stunning landscapes. Mostly focusing on seascapes and cloud formations, it would seem that recently he has been experimenting in a more abstract approach to his favorite subject matter. Instead of showing definite shape and form in the paintings like he had been from 2009-2011, he has broken down those elements and taken the approach of creating the subject matter with blocks of color. Looking through his gallery, you can see that he slightly visited the idea in 2009 but it wasn't until mid way through 2012 does his work seem to have taken a more bold and abstract approach.

"Sepoi Sepoi" by kidchan

Website: www.scottnaismith.co.uk

kidchan.deviantart.com (Malaysia)

A digital artist from Malaysia, Kidchan is fairly known within the dA community for their beautiful fantasy/ Art Nouveau themed works. Working with a pastel rainbow palette, their works are reminiscent of illustrations for posters and books during the early 1900s. Perhaps best known for their pieces Serenade and Sepoi Sepoi, each piece has an amazing softness to them and the colors used draws the viewer in to notice the amount of detail that has gon into their creation.

Tumblr: cyanparade.tumblr.com

"Sugar Plum Fairy" by Yoann-Lossel

Yoann-Lossel.deviantart.com (France)

Recently being noticed greatly by his piece Sugar Plum Fairy, French traditional artist Yoann Lossel works mostly in pencil, oils and gold leaf. Creating highly detailed and stylized fantasy works, he blends these traditional mediums creating a sense of mystery. Though seemingly dark, his beautiful pieces actually make you feel as if you are being drawn into the environment.

Blog: yoannlossel.blogspot.com