Country Garden With Crucifix, 1911 By Gustav Klimt Editorial Image

This, the first of Klimt's truly religious paintings, in terms of depicting specific Christian imagery, has a haunting and powerful visual presence with the paradox of its simple rustic charm set against one of his typical decorative backdrop. The icons are fixed in a columnar structure of life which forms a wild vibrant floral mass growing up through the religious station. Unlike the previous farmhouse landscape from the same period, there is a greater sense of spatial depth and a brighter, more convincing management of light. The looser feel in this work is apparent as nature exudes a more rhythmic quality. Klimt s tentative moves in to Expressionism, with its strong linear feel and brighter color range, are perceptible alongside the continuing influence of Vincent Van Gogh.