The Kiss《吻》

爱艺/译

Gustav Klimt （1862–1918） was a 19th century Symbolist painter from Austria who became a leading light in the Vienna Secession movement and became famous for his bold use of color， decorative patterns， and allegor-ical depictions of the human figure.

古斯塔夫·克里姆特（1862—1918），19世紀奥地利象征主义画家，是维也纳分离派运动的引领者，作品以大胆的用色、装饰图案和对人物形象的寓言性描绘而闻名。

Klimt displayed a notable talent from an early age， and at 14 years old left his normal school to attend the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts on a full scholarship. After his graduation in 1883， he opened an independent studio specializing in the execution of mural paintings. His early work had a classical style that was typical of late 19th-century academic painting. In 1897 Klimt’s mature style emerged， and he founded the Vienna Secession， a group of painters who revolted against academic art in favour of a highly decorative style similar to Art Nouveau.

克里姆特很小就显露出艺术天赋，14岁便离开普通学校，凭借全额奖学金进入维也纳工艺美术学院学习。1883年毕业后，他开设了独立工作室，专注壁画创作。他的早期作品秉承典型的19世纪末学院派绘画所具有的那种古典风格。1897年，克里姆特的创作风格日臻成熟，他创立了维也纳分离派，该派画家反对学院派艺术，追求类似新艺术运动所倡导的高度装饰性风格。

In January 1918， Gustav Klimt suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. He was subsequently hospitalized， and while there contracted pneumonia， of which he died on February 6， 1918.

1918年1月，古斯塔夫·克里姆特罹患中风，导致身体部分瘫痪。随后他住院治疗，其间感染了肺炎，于1918年2月6日去世。

The Kiss is Klimt’s most popular work and visitors flock annually to see it in Vienna’s Austrian Gallery. At a remarkable 72 in × 72 in （180 cm × 180 cm）， its powerful presence resounds from the wall as the life-size figures， wrapped in gold， embrace.

《吻》是克里姆特最受欢迎的作品，每年都有大批游客为一睹该画而前往维也纳的奥地利美术馆。该画尺幅巨大，长宽均为72英寸（180厘米），悬挂壁上，画中相拥的二人有真人大小，被黄金包裹，观者会感受到一股强大的冲击力扑面而来。

In 1903， Klimt traveled twice to Ravenna， where he saw the mosaics of San Vitale， whose Byzantine influence was apparent in the paintings of what would become known as his “Golden Period”. The use of gold harked back to Klimt’s own past， to the metal work of his father and younger brother Ernst， who had both died a decade earlier. Klimt’s interest in the Byzantine period also symbolized a move towards greater stability， through static， inorganic forms; suggesting a search for refuge after the artist’s exploration of the instinctual powers of archaic Greece. The Kiss representing the apex of his “Golden Period，” this concludes similar thematic studies during his career. Each work aids final comprehension of the allegory， which represents the mystical union of spiritual and erotic love and the merging of the individual with the eternal cosmos.

1903年，克里姆特两次游历意大利拉韦纳，在那里看到了圣维塔莱教堂的马赛克壁画，他后来被人称为“黄金时期”的绘画作品明显受到这种拜占庭风格的影响。采用黄金作画让人想起克里姆特的家庭出身，想起他父亲和弟弟恩斯特的金匠手艺——他们二人都在十年前就过世了。克里姆特对拜占庭时期的兴趣也象征他开始以静态、无机的表现形式追求更强的稳定，意味着他在探索了古希腊的本能力量后开始寻求庇护。《吻》是其“黄金时期”的巅峰之作，集其职业生涯类似主题绘画之大成。这些作品每一件都有助于对寓言的终极理解，那个寓言代表精神与情爱的神秘结合，以及个人与永恒宇宙的合二为一。

The dominant male force is signified by the powerful coat of masculine black and gray blocks， softened by the feminine organic scrolling， reminiscent of The Tree of Life. In comparison， female energy is shown as spinning circles of bright floral motifs and upward-flowing wavy lines. From these vestments of artistic creation golden rain blesses the fertile earth， similar to the descending roses in The Beethoven Frieze. The triangular fronds also recall water imagery from paintings such as Water Serpents. Here， Klimt’s loosening of naturalism， in favor of a personal symbolic language suggesting the workings of unconscious mind， in particular its erotic urge， reached a climax. Through two figures， depicted not naked， but draped in densely patterned cloths， Klimt succeeded in evoking a moment of intense sensual pleasure， within a sharply stylized and flattened composition.

占主導地位的男性力量表现为醒目的外套，外套由阳刚的黑色和灰色色块组成，阴柔的自然形态的卷轴形装饰起到了软化作用，让人想起《生命之树》。与之相比，女性能量表现为明亮花朵图案组成的涡卷和垂直波动的条纹。金雨从艺术化呈现的衣袍上洒落，滋养肥沃的土壤，类似《贝多芬饰带》中飘落的玫瑰。三角叶片还让人想起《水蛇》等画作中水的意象。此画中，克里姆特对自然主义的疏离达到了顶点，偏向采用个人的象征性语言，暗示潜意识（特别是性爱冲动）的运转。画中二人并非裸体，而都身披图案密集的衣袍——在风格化和扁平化都很鲜明的构图中，克里姆特通过这两个人物成功唤起了观者一瞬间强烈的感官快感。

When re-assessing The Kiss for Klimt’s 150th birthday， journalist Adrian Brijbassi wrote， “The Kiss by Gustav Klimt surpasses expectations，” unlike that tiny and underwhelming Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. After throwing shade on the more famous painting， Brijbassi explained， “[The Kiss] does what a great piece of art is supposed to do： Hold your gaze， make you admire its aesthetic qualities while trying to discern what’s beyond its superficial aspects.”

在庆祝克里姆特诞辰150周年时，记者艾德里安·博瑞巴西再次对《吻》作出评价。他表示，“古斯塔夫·克里姆特的《吻》超越了人们的期待”，它与莱昂纳多·达·芬奇小尺幅、低反响的《蒙娜丽莎》不同。在对那幅名气更大的作品给出相对消极的评价后，博瑞巴西解释说：“（《吻》）做到了艺术佳作该做的事，即吸引观者去看，让观者在欣赏作品外在美学特质的同时，尝试探究其内在的东西。”