In the art exhibition of 1908, there was a painting on display in a room reserved for Klimt’s pictures. This painting was entitled, ‘Lovers’ by Klimt himself but is generally known today as ‘The Kiss’. Ludwig Hevesi, a critic of the time says, “This Klimt hhall at the exhibition is the most remarkable assortment seen in Vienna since Markart’s Dumba Room. A purely painterly painting (The Kiss), not possible before markart, a specific phenomena …showed first 75 words of 794 total…

…showed last 75 words of 794 total…visible. Life is symbolized be a great tree, the threat sybolized by the three birds of prey sitting in it’s branches. The dominance of the man is expressed mostly by the detailed ornamentation of his robe. The wide-cut neck reveals the same reoccuring muscular back. The woman again has her eyes closed, but her head is at the same level as his. As in ‘Philosophy’ we see not a kiss but a tender embrace.