#25 – The Tree of Life by Gustav Klimt

The Tree of Life, Stoclet Frieze (French: L’Arbre de Vie, Stoclet Frieze) is a painting by the Austrian symbolist painter Gustav Klimt. It was completed in 1909 and is based on the Art Nouveau (Modern) style in a symbolic painting genre.

The Tree of Life has had a significant meaning. It has been linked with several religious practices and traditions, depicting the source and sustenance of man’s life. In the bible, The Tree of Life was situated in the middle of the Garden of Eden, a garden where Christians believe their first man and woman were created. Other religions also have similar trees, and many painters in ancient times tried to make a statement about these trees on paintings.

Gustav Klimt’s tree of life depicts this same tree, with significant features on it. It connects the three worlds surrounding man; those are The Underworld, The Earth, and The Heavens. Its roots are deep into the earth, probably signifying that for life to be sustained, Mother Nature must be involved. The roots then come up to the aboveground and meet into forming the tree’s trunk that is on the earth. The tree’s branches extent to the heavens, and have various types of fruits and flowers on them. These fruits symbolize that life can be born from the tree.

Death is also symbolized on the tree by the blackbird that sits on one of the branches. A blackbird has the same meaning in many religions worldwide, even in current African beliefs it is considered a death sign in many cultures. In real life, the tree has been linked to the many virtues of man, which include strength, wisdom, and beauty. The tree’s roots symbolize the man’s ‘roots’ to his home, with many cultures and beliefs being that man comes from the soil and will return to it eventually. The branches signify the man’s way of life in trying to reach out for more possibilities as friendship and wealth. The fruits and flowers are in line with man’s reproduction.