Printing technique: Giclée print on heavy museum art paper, 2012
Printing company: Wiener Druckanstalt - Vienna printing company
Edited by: Klimt Villa Vienna, embossed “Klimt Villa Vienna” (last studio of Gustav Klimt, Vienna)

This image is of Hygieia, a key figure in Gustav Klimt’s celebrated Medicine panel, part of his Faculty Paintings (1900-1907), which played a significant role in his artistic development and the broader history of his career. The Faculty Paintings were commissioned by the University of Vienna to decorate the Great Hall, with Klimt assigned to represent three disciplines: Philosophy, Medicine, and Jurisprudence.

The image of Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health and cleanliness, is the focal figure of Klimt’s Medicine, representing the healing arts. She is depicted in Klimt’s signature ornamental and symbolic style, adorned with elaborate patterns and rich colors, standing in an assertive pose, holding a vessel and a snake—a symbol of medicine. This work was essential in defining Klimt’s mature style, showcasing his growing fascination with sensuality, allegory, and ornamentation.

However, Klimt’s Faculty Paintings, including Medicine, were highly controversial at the time due to their symbolic and erotic content. The University rejected the paintings for their provocative depictions of humanity's relationship with nature and the cosmos, which they felt deviated from academic standards. In Medicine, Klimt included a swirling mass of bodies that represent life, birth, death, and disease, while Hygieia, the goddess, stands detached, observing from above. Critics were shocked by the work’s emphasis on the raw realities of human suffering rather than glorifying the scientific advancements of medicine.

This rejection had a profound impact on Klimt’s career. In response, Klimt rejected future public commissions and withdrew from the traditional academic art scene. This led to his involvement in the Vienna Secession movement, of which he was a founding member, seeking to break away from conventional art forms and explore more avant-garde and symbolic themes. The controversy surrounding Medicine and Klimt’s other Faculty Paintings fueled his reputation as a radical, helping to cement his legacy as one of the most innovative and influential artists of the early 20th century.

Tragically, the Faculty Paintings, including Medicine, were destroyed in a fire during World War II. However, surviving photographs and studies, like Hygieia, continue to remind us of the bold and pioneering spirit of Klimt’s work during this pivotal moment in his career. Hygieia remains a testament to his exploration of the human condition, his artistic rebellion, and his commitment to symbolism and the power of ornamental beauty.