Abundantia, Gifts of the Earth, Hans Makart

Hans Makart, a leading Viennese painter in the 1870s, despite lacking talent as a draughtsman, was famous as a 'magician of colours'. Passionate with swirling and enveloping colour schemes, he was known as Interior Designer, Costume Designer, Furniture Designer, so that he became responsible for the artistic decoration of Vienna, involved in adorning virtually all public spaces in fluid brilliant colour.

Klimt is said to have idolized Makart and certainly his influence is clear in THE KISS, whose sensual couple inhabit a decorated world of their own.

Abundantia, Gifts of the Earth, Hans Makart, Oil on Canvas with gold paint, 161,2 x 445,1 cm, discovered in 2008 Pendant of the Abundantia Gifts of the Earth Musee d'Orsay. Ger Eenens Collection, The Netherlands, on long term loan to Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands