eLecture: Gustav Klimt and his “Golden Phase”

Gustav Klimt was a Symbolist painter and his “Golden Phase” was extremely successful. In Klimt’s “Golden Phase,” he used gold leaf to create an elegant ornamentation in his paintings. The most popularly associated with this period are the The Kiss and a series of portraits of fashionable Austrian matrons such as Fritza Riedler and Adele Bloch-Bauer. In these works he painted the figure without shadow and incorporated areas of flat, highly patterned areas of decoration to heighten the compositions.


What is Gold Leaf?

Since gold is an element, it can be compressed so thinly that sunlight can pass through. It can be done without destroying its structure. This property of gold is essential to the creation of gold leaf. In history, craftsmen would create gold leaf by pounding gold in between two leather straps for weeks or months until the gold became so thin that it was applied to paintings, sculptures, and religious or royal relics.

The present way of creating gold leaf involves metal rollers that compress gold to an extreme thin sheet. Then it can be cut into smaller sheets and placed in between layers of glassine paper. This is how it is sold in craft and art supply stores.







Gold Leaf Materials

How to use gold leaf like Klimt
In order to achieve the luminosity that Klimt was able to using gold leaf, you must first understand that there are many steps and a lot of patience involved. Preparing involves building up the surface by applying several layers of gesso. Next bole is applied to the surface that is to be gilded. The bole is a mixture of clay and water that becomes an adhesive for the gold leaf. Water must be on the surface of the bole while the gold leaf is applied, the artist must work quickly.

Discussion

What is gold leaf and what ways can it be used in a painting?

How did Klimt use gold lead in his paintings?

What effects does gold leaf create in art?

What other periods in art history was gold leaf used?

Activity; Gold Leaf Self-Portraits

Adele Bloch- Bauer I

Students will be creating a self-portrait using gold leaf in the background. However, since water gilding can become expensive, students will be applying gold leaf with an adhesive.

Materials:
Sheets of gold leaf
Gold leaf adhesive
Canvas
Acrylic paints
Paintbrushes for acrylics
Natural bristle paintbrush for gold leaf


Directions
- Discuss Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss and the portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer
- Have students paint a self-portrait using acrylic paints leaving the background blank.
How to apply gold leaf;
1. Remove dust from the canvas surface using a clean dry cloth
2. Lay the painting on a flat surface
3. Apply a thin layer of gold leaf adhesive to the area you want to apply the gold leaf
4. Wait 10 to 15 minutes for the adhesive to become tacky
5. Gently pick up gold leaf and apply to the painting using a stick by carefully separating the leafing from the paper. You really shouldn’t overlap gold leaf but minor overlapping is acceptable.
6. When gold leaf has been applied to the painting, use a small natural bristle brush to sweep over the areas. This is to remove any excess gold leafing that was applied. Remember to brush very lightly or the gold leaf can be removed or it can shift.
7. Allow the gold leaf to dry completely. Apply a glaze to seal the painting and hold the gold leaf in place.