Appropriation and Reconstruction: A Critical Practice of Redefining Female Imagery from Classic to Contemporary
Outline
1.The Concept of "Appropriation" and Its Critical Role in Feminist Contexts
2.Appropriation and Critique: Analyzing the Practices of Cindy Sherman and Emma Talbot
2.1 Cindy Sherman: Satirical Deconstruction in History Portraits
2.2 Emma Talbot: Reconstructing Shame into Strength
3. Analysis of Female Identity Contradictions and Social Context in Klimt's Female Portraits
4.Contemporary Reconstruction: From Classical to Personal Expression
5.The 20th Century Chinese Female Artist Pan Yuliang and Artistic Innovation from a Female Perspective: An Exploration of the Fusion of Chinese and Western Art and Emotional Expression
6.Ornamentation and Emotion: Inspirations and Reflections on the Decorative Aesthetic of the Vienna Secession
6.1 Emotional Expression in the Decorative Art of the Vienna Secession
6.2 Redefining Ornamentation and Emotion: From Classical to Contemporary
6.3 Conclusion
7. Appropriation and Reconstruction: Contemporary Reflections and Reinterpretations of Gendered Power in Classical Artworks
8.Citation
This article takes the artistic practices of Cindy Sherman and Emma Talbot as references to explore how appropriation in contemporary art redefines female imagery. The article critically analyzes the limitations of female depictions in Gustav Klimt's portraits and discusses the decorative style of the Vienna Secession, while also incorporating the cross-cultural creations of early Chinese female artists, such as Pan Yuliang. Through these analyses, the paper reflects on the significance and inspiration these artistic methods bring to my creative practice. As a Chinese female artist raised in a Western educational context, I explore the expression of diverse female identities in contemporary art. Ultimately, the paper considers how appropriation and restructuring can redefine female subjectivity in the contemporary context.
My research focuses on Gustav Klimt's depictions of women, particularly how these portrayals are constrained by a male perspective and serve as vehicles for social meaning and aesthetic symbolism. By appropriating and restructuring Gustav Klimt's female portraits, I critically reexamine traditional stereotypes of women in art and explore the diverse expressions of female identity in a contemporary context, especially the unique perspectives that emerge from blending Eastern and Western cultures in a cross-cultural setting.
Recently, my artistic creations have incorporated more Chinese elements, specifically plants emblematic of China such as plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums. These elements not only represent traditional Chinese culture but also reflect the profound implications of regional characteristics in China. By integrating these Chinese elements with Western artistic language, I strive to present unique female images within the contemporary art context, showcasing the diversity and complexity of female identities.
The Spectacle and Representation of the Female Body in Art History
The Traditional Role of the Female Body in Art History: An Object of Spectacle and Representation
Throughout art history, the female body has long been positioned as an object of both spectacle and representation. Artworks have idealized and objectified the female form, particularly during the Ancient Greek and Renaissance periods, where female figures were often portrayed as symbols of purity, grace, and passivity, embodying aesthetic standards and societal morals. Sculptures such as the Venus de Milo from Ancient Greece and the Madonna and Child from the Renaissance dissolved the complexity of the female individual, transforming her into a symbol of “beauty.”
With the advent of modern thought, scholar Laura Mulvey introduced the theory of the "male gaze," which exposed the process of objectification of the female body in art as a representation of male desire and power. This "gaze" reduced the female form to a symbol, diminishing her emotional depth and subjectivity. Furthermore, the "body norms" of traditional art reinforced this phenomenon by emphasizing qualities of gentleness, propriety, and submission, framing the female body within idealized aesthetic standards through the concealment of flaws and the accentuation of perfection.
With the rise of modernism, although depictions of women shifted from religious and mythological themes to the expression of social gender roles, objectification and commercialization persisted, particularly within 20th-century advertising and mass culture. In these contexts, the female body continued to be used as a tool to attract consumption. This positioning of the female form extended beyond the art world, influencing widespread societal perceptions of women.
This tradition of “being observed and represented” provided a critical foundation for later female artists to challenge and redefine the female body. It spurred profound reflections on gender, power, and cultural symbols, as exemplified by artists such as Cindy Sherman.
The Concept of "Appropriation" and Its Critical Role in Feminist Contexts
"Appropriation," as an important strategy in artistic creation, was first proposed by Douglas Crimp and Abigail Solomon-Godeau. At its core, the concept involves the deconstruction and reorganization of existing cultural symbols to imbue them with new meanings in contemporary contexts. "Appropriation is not merely a form of reproduction; it is a critical response to classical narratives" (Bourriaud, 1998). As Nicolas Bourriaud elaborates in Relational Aesthetics, appropriation is not a simple replication of classical forms but rather a reorganization of symbolic systems that revitalizes their significance within new frameworks (Bourriaud, 2002).
Manet's Olympia appropriated Titian's Venus of Urbino from the Renaissance, shifting the visual focus and social context to challenge traditional aesthetic norms of female representation. This work unveiled the commodification of women's images within capitalist society (Clark, 1985). Such strategies offer methodological insights for female artists, enabling them to appropriate classical portrayals of women, deconstruct traditional stereotypes, critique the gendered power structures in art, and reconstruct female subjectivity.
The artistic practices of Cindy Sherman and Emma Talbot have been a significant source of inspiration for my own work. Sherman, in her History Portraits series, mimicked the portrayal of women in classical portraiture through a combination of photography and performance, exposing how women's images have been objectified and symbolized in art history. By employing absurdity, she deconstructed traditional gender stereotypes and questioned conventional aesthetic frameworks (Danto, 1997). Talbot, drawing from Klimt's Three Ages of Woman, reimagined the shame and vulnerability associated with the elderly female figure in the original, transforming her into a character of strength and agency. This method of appropriation is not merely a reproduction of classical forms but a recontextualization that sparks new societal dialogues (Machetti, 2022).
These artistic practices have demonstrated to me that appropriation can transcend the gendered power structures of classical art, offering new narrative possibilities for expressing female subjectivity.
Appropriation and Critique: Analyzing the Practices of Cindy Sherman and Emma Talbot
The artistic practices of Cindy Sherman and Emma Talbot have profoundly influenced my creative approach. Sherman, in her History Portraits series, employs a combination of photography and performance to mimic the portrayal of women in classical portraiture, exposing the symbolic and objectified roles assigned to women in art history. By using absurdity, she deconstructs the gender stereotypes ingrained in classical art, challenging its traditional aesthetic frameworks (Danto, 1997). Talbot, drawing inspiration from Klimt's The Three Ages of Woman, reinterprets the elderly female figure, originally portrayed with shame and fragility, into a symbol of strength and agency. Their methods serve as valuable references, illustrating how appropriation can dismantle classical art's gendered power structures while enabling new narratives for expressing female subjectivity.
Cindy Sherman: Satirical Deconstruction in History Portraits
Portrait of Madame Moitessie Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres 121.3 × 90.9cm，1856
Untitled #204, 1989 - Cindy Sherman
In her History Portraits series, Cindy Sherman appropriates themes from religious and classical portraiture, emulating figures such as noblewomen, Madonnas, and queens. These works adopt the compositions, costumes, and expressions typical of historical paintings, while introducing exaggerated proportions and incongruous prosthetics that disrupt the sanctity of the female form. In doing so, Sherman exposes how male control over the female body has been historically exercised through art. Her satirical exaggerations and mismatched props render the figures grotesque and absurd, critiquing the idealized and objectified roles imposed on women in classical art. Sherman’s method of appropriation is not merely a form of replication, but a critical deconstruction. By re-creating, mimicking, and transforming existing symbols, she interrogates notions of gender, identity, and social roles, highlighting how media, art history, and cultural norms construct and regulate female representations.
Sherman’s inspirations include works by Leonardo da Vinci, Jean Fouquet, Sandro Botticelli, and Hans Holbein the Younger. While some works have clear references, others evoke the aesthetics of historical portraiture without directly replicating them. In Untitled #204, Sherman draws from Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres’s La Grande Odalisque, adopting similar poses, expressions, and backgrounds but transforming the classic image into a farcical parody through the use of reflections in the mirror and incongruous props. Likewise, Untitled #210 incorporates elements from Holbein’s portraits, using fur-trimmed garments and jewelry signifying status to create a composition reminiscent of Holbein’s distinctive style. Through these elements, Sherman deconstructs the meaning of female representation in traditional art.
In Untitled #205, Sherman appropriates Raphael’s La Fornarina, reinterpreting the idealized female image in a ridiculous and absurd way. While the original image presents Fornarina as a mature and sweet woman, adorned with a beautiful headscarf and transparent drapery that conveys gentleness and submission, Sherman subverts this by dressing the figure in rough cloths, replacing the elegant drapery with cheap fabric. The figure, exaggeratedly serious yet clownish in expression, stares directly into the camera, her prosthetic chest serving as a grotesque, non-erotic substitute for the original’s sensuality. Sherman also uses accessories like garter belts to mock the objectification of women, further revealing the conventional Western art norms that regulate female bodies.
In Untitled 222, Cindy Sherman imitates the depiction of the female body, particularly the full breasts, in the works of classical masters. She employs strikingly exaggerated prosthetic breasts and depicts a trajectory of liquid spraying from the lady's chest. The "Birth of the Milky Way" is a traditional motif in art history that tells the myth of the goddess Hera, whose breast milk, when bitten by the infant Heracles, formed the Milky Way. Classical masters used this theme to depict Hera’s voluptuous body and the flowing milk, satisfying the voyeuristic desires of the viewer under the guise of classical myth. Sherman, however, mocks the Western canon and its endless portrayal of lavishly dressed aristocrats, clergy, mistresses, and religious figures.
Sherman does not intend to pay homage to the great masters of the past, nor does she suggest that young artists need to overcome or reconstruct the concept of originality. Instead, her works through the strategy of appropriation subvert the past and the present, the classical and the contemporary, breaking the seemingly established identities of traditional artists and the once-secured positions of masterpieces in art history. The performative nature of History Portraits prevents the works from being confined to the sacred autonomy of fictional narratives. Instead, Sherman emphasizes that identities are neither fixed nor permanent, and they are constantly subjected to disruption. These images are neither classical nor modern. Sherman reveals the hidden structures of narrative and representation in art forms, creating fictional illusions that expose other illusions, bridging the traditional and the contemporary through formal tension.
Moreover, whether in her earlier Untitled Film Stills or later History Portraits, Sherman creates a sense of familiarity mixed with strangeness by appropriating popular culture and classic art history. Douglas Crimp, referencing Roland Barthes' "Death of the Author," explains Sherman’s work as an example of the absence of the "author" in contemporary art. As the "author," Sherman is no longer the origin of the work; the structure of contemporary texts is composed of many previously used reproductions. Thus, originality in contemporary art becomes obsolete, and the centralized author figure of the past no longer exists. Masters in art history are dissolved in Sherman’s works. Through appropriation and photography’s characteristic of mass replication, Sherman demonstrates the death of the author in the postmodern era. Furthermore, Barthes noted that the death of the author signifies the birth of the reader. According to Crimp, postmodern art incorporates the viewer into the work, displaying the theatricality inherent in Sherman’s practice. Sherman transforms herself into stereotypical female figures from mass media or models from classical masterpieces. Through photography, she records these performances, presenting a form of theatrical art. In addition to her costumes, she uses masks, body props, and other media to reenact the theater, inviting the viewer to step into her world.
Untitled#210, Cindy Sherman
Untitled#228, Cindy Sherman
Madonna of the Meadow，Raphael 113cm× 88.5cm ，1505-1506
Untitled#216, Cindy Sherman
Untitled#225, Cindy Sherman
Untitled#222 Cindy Sherman
In the History Portraits series, Cindy Sherman deftly disrupts the traditional frameworks of art history, offering a profound reflection on female identity and the power dynamics in art. Through imitation and parody of Western masterpieces, she challenges the gender structures in art history and places these traditional female images in absurd and comedic contexts, subverting the idealized and objectified aesthetics they once represented. Through the re-presentation and distortion of classical portraits, Sherman transforms these images—once symbols of purity, nobility, and beauty—into figures filled with irony and alienation. This appropriation strategy not only dismantles the authority of the “author” but also unveils the complex relationship between gender and power in art history, encouraging the viewer to reassess the socio-cultural meanings behind these historical art representations.
By reshaping and presenting the female body, Sherman strips traditional art classics of their noble connotations, presenting a modern and self-aware female image. This creative process is not only a rebellion against art history but also a profound deconstruction of the objectification and gendered re-presentation of the female body throughout history. Ultimately, through this rebellious artistic form, Sherman raises a new question regarding art creation, gender power, and cultural symbols: how are classical artworks and female images reconstructed and reinterpreted in the postmodern context? Through History Portraits, she unveils the fluidity and variability of female imagery in art, breaking the fixed paradigms of the past and offering new possibilities for contemporary female artistic expression.
Sherman’s work has had a profound impact on my own artistic practice. Her use of appropriation demonstrates that replication is merely the starting point; the ultimate goal is to reveal and challenge the entrenched gender power dynamics in classical art through new contexts. Although Sherman rarely explicitly states her viewpoints, each of her works invites the viewer to decode the relationship between the appropriated classics and their sources. Her prosthetics and props not only serve to bridge historical imagery with contemporary critique but also, by dismantling the traditional sanctity of these classical figures, firmly root the works in the present. For those familiar with her originals, Sherman’s meticulous attention to detail is evident—everything from posture, props, to texture and variations is intentional and reflects her creative intent.
This approach to creation has inspired me, especially in how to borrow historical symbols and infuse them with new meanings. Sherman’s use of appropriation is not merely a simple reproduction of the classics; it is through the transformation and reconstruction of these symbols that she exposes and challenges the gender power structures embedded in traditional art. This approach has led me to a deeper understanding that the purpose of art lies not only in the reproduction of appearances but in critically examining and challenging traditions through new contexts and perspectives. In my own work, I similarly borrow symbols from Chinese traditional art and Western classical imagery, adapting and transforming them in an effort to break open the rigid frameworks, revealing the gender politics and cultural forces at play. This method of “appropriation and recreation” allows my work to engage in dialogue not only with history but also with contemporary issues related to gender, identity, and culture.
Emma Talbot: Reconstructing Shame into Strength
Emma Talbot reinterprets Gustav Klimt's The Three Ages of Woman by redefining the depiction of the elderly woman, originally portrayed with an air of shame and fragility, as a figure of wisdom and empowerment. Using hand-drawn techniques and textile art as her medium, Talbot integrates the contemporary challenges of female identity with ecological concerns, bestowing new cultural significance upon Klimt's work.
In Klimt's original piece, the life of a woman is delineated into three stages: a young maiden, a mother holding her child, and an elderly woman clasping her head with both hands. The latter, in particular, is represented in a posture that seems to convey a sense of shame and vulnerability. Talbot, finding resonance with the elderly woman's image, viewed it as a reflection of her own potential future. She recognized the implicit association of age with invisibility and disgrace in the original work and sought to redefine this representation.
"I thought it was really problematic that the elderly woman is envisaged as a figure who seems ashamed of her ageing.” (Machetti, 2022) Talbot's creative inspiration draws from her reflections on aging, power structures, and ecological sustainability in contemporary society. She opposes the prevailing perception of old age as a negative or weakened state, striving instead to highlight the dignity and wisdom of older individuals, akin to the reverence for elders in many traditional cultures. By appropriating Klimt's work, she not only challenges stereotypical depictions of women in classical art but also critiques the patriarchal underpinnings of Western artistic traditions.
Talbot's practice inspires my own approach to appropriation. In revisiting classical works, it is crucial not only to transform their formal language but also to reconstruct their intrinsic meanings. In my creative process, I attempt to merge Klimt's decorative aesthetics with contemporary visual expressions, thereby addressing the reductive portrayals of women in classical art and exploring the complexities of female identity in the modern context.
Against the theoretical backdrop provided by Cindy Sherman and Emma Talbot, my work incorporates the critical dimensions of appropriation. Using Klimt's female portraits as a foundation, I seek to explore and transform the stereotypical representations of women in classical art while engaging with contemporary discourses on gender and identity. Through variation and reinterpretation, I endeavor to connect the critiques of historical artistic depictions of women with ongoing challenges faced by women today.
The Trial, Emma Talbot, Watercolour on Khadi paper,2022
The Three Ages of Woman，Gustav Klimt, oil on canvas, 180cm×180cm,1905
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Detail from Volcanic Landscape, Emma Talbot, Acrylic on silk,2022
Analysis of Female Identity Contradictions and Social Context in Klimt's Female Portraits
Between 1890 and 1918, Vienna emerged as one of Europe's cultural hubs. Renowned figures in music, literature, philosophy, architecture, and painting positioned this imperial capital as a cradle of European intellectual thought, influencing the development of modernism across the Western world. While Sigmund Freud and Arthur Schnitzler openly explored themes of "Eros" and "Thanatos", these topics had scarcely been discussed in Vienna's literary and intellectual circles before their time. Austrian philosopher Otto Weininger, in his book Sex and Character, cautioned against the "threatening power" of female emancipation, categorizing any woman who prioritized sexual pleasure over motherhood as morally defective, even labeling them as prostitutes. Against this backdrop, Gustav Klimt depicted women as self-indulgent figures exuding magnetic eroticism, while contemporaries such as Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka unveiled the raw and unsettling realities of the modern body, laying bare its vulnerabilities and provocations (Metlić, 2022).
Klimt's portraits reflect the duality in societal attitudes toward women: they were simultaneously objects of desire and custodians of social order. His idealized portrayals obscure the diversity and agency of women's subjectivity. Freud's psychoanalytic theories, emerging in Klimt's era, introduced an awareness of the subconscious and repressed emotions. Klimt's representations often reveal an inner sense of repression and anxiety. As Simone de Beauvoir posits in The Second Sex, women are frequently regarded as the "Other” in society (Beauvoir, 2015). They are cast as idealized entities serving family and society, reduced to objects of observation and evaluation. Klimt's depictions of middle-class women—enhanced by opulent attire and intricate accessories—epitomize this process of "othering".
In my view, Klimt's portrayal of women reflects two distinct fantasies shaped by his male perspective. He depicted upper-class women in formal portraits as affluent figures occupying an ambiguous space between past and present, confined to unidentified interiors where their postures, features, and personalities are emphasized (Natter et al., 2016). Conversely,"New women" of the era actively challenged patriarchal structures, fighting for public participation and sexual liberation. These "new women" sought radical changes in social status and appearance, donning short hair, traditionally male clothing like shorts or knee-high socks, cycling, and smoking publicly. Klimt's works reflect this tension, showing how societal pressures sculpted women's roles in Vienna. However, this does not absolve Klimt of his own contradictions. For instance, while he rendered upper-class women as statuesque, fully clothed, and adorned with lavish garments symbolizing their social standing, he also depicted lower-class prostitutes engaging in intimate acts within his studio, capturing moments of intimacy with a voyeuristic lens.
In works such as Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, Klimt portrays women as poised and elegant symbols of middle-class propriety, reinforcing their roles as emblems of family and societal status. However, this portrayal simultaneously conceals their agency, reducing them to aesthetic symbols. The subtle expressions and postures of these women hint at their inner solitude and struggles, embodying the conflict between idealized womanhood and familial obligations.
Similarly, in The Maiden, Klimt celebrates youth and desire through the nude female form but fails to transcend the limitations of the male gaze. Prostitute figures in Klimt's art often carry a tragic aura, depicted as societal outcasts emblematic of oppression and discrimination. Yet, Klimt imbues these figures with allure, sensuality, and reverence for the female body, revealing the entanglement of sexuality and power. Their expressions and gestures suggest inner contradictions: these women, despite their marginal social status, exert a degree of agency over their bodies and desires, challenging conventional male authority.
Klimt's works encapsulate the contradictions inherent in female roles within Viennese society. On one hand, women are objects of desire; on the other, they bear the responsibilities of family and societal order. Through interwoven female bodies and dynamic compositions, Klimt explores themes of desire but fails to capture the complexity of women's subjectivities. The Vienna Secession's portrayal of women reflects both an artistic response to modernization and a reinforcement of the ambiguity and stereotypes surrounding female identity.
This contradiction serves as a critical entry point for my creative inquiry. By reinterpreting and appropriating Klimt's depictions of women, I aim to challenge the reductive portrayal of gender anxiety in classical art and offer alternative interpretations from a contemporary female perspective.
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I，Gustav Klimt，Oil and gold leaf on canvas, 1907
The Virgin , Gustav Klimt, oil on canvas , 1913
Portrait of Fräulein Lieser, 140✖80cm, oil on canvas, 1917，
Portrait of Emilie Louise Flöge, 181✖84cm，oil on canvas, 1902
Serena Pulitzer Lederer，190✖85cm，oil on canvas, 1899
Women Friends, Gustav Klimt,oil on canvas, 1916-1917
Water Serpents II, Gustav Klimt, oil on canvas, 80✖145cm，1904-1907
Judith II, Gustav Klimt,oil on canvas, 46✖178cm，1909
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Contemporary Reconstruction: From Classical to Personal Expression
In Stranded Minds, it is stated that "the essence of nostalgia is not a longing for the past, but the pursuit of an imagined utopia.” This idea of a reactive psychological drive offers an indirect explanation for the rift between Klimt's paintings and the women's liberation movement of his time. Klimt and other artists of the Vienna Secession depicted women through a subjective lens shaped by a nostalgic modernity. This approach deliberately disregarded and suppressed the burgeoning awareness of women's agency, instead pursuing an idealized and imagined portrayal of femininity.In my practice, I draw upon Klimt's female portraits as a starting point, employing appropriation and reconstruction to critically reexamine the gendered power structures in classical art from a contemporary female perspective. My focus not only extends the reductive representation of women in classical art, but also incorporating my personal upbringing and observations of gendered cultural expectations to explore the diversity and complexity of female identity.
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Death and life, Gustav Klimt, oil on canvas, 178 × 198cm, 1910-1915
Away from the close, Kaixuan lin, oil on canvas, 158 × 178cm, 2024
Albert Camus, in The Rebel, asserts that while individuals exist in an absurd world, they can still achieve self-realization through action and rebellion (Camus, 2013). This notion resonates with my experience, as the pursuit of conformity has led to persistent psychological distress. Despite familial and societal expectations, individuals can choose rebellion, crafting their own paths toward self-fulfillment. Though I have attempted to distance myself from familial influences, I have come to realize that avoidance offers no genuine liberation and instead imposes new burdens. Erich Fromm, in "Escape from Freedom", explores how modern individuals oscillate between freedom and dependency (Fromm, 2013). I agree with Fromm's assertion that freedom and dependency coexist; absolute freedom is unattainable, nor can psychological dependency be entirely resisted. True freedom lies in finding oneself within relational dynamics.
Through studying Klimt's female portraits, I aim to reflect on and learn from his portrayal of women's anxieties and existential states. I regard painting as a medium to express my personal freedom and inner strength. By appropriating Klimt's works, I seek to question the depiction of women in traditional art, challenging the stereotypes surrounding women in classical imagery.
For instance, in my reinterpretative work Away from the close, inspired by Klimt's Death and Life, I reconstruct the dichotomy between death and life. In this piece, I utilize geometric and abstract forms to deconstruct the skeleton symbolizing death and the group of figures symbolizing life from Klimt's original work, breaking them into multilayered planes of color and line. Through the integration of freehand strokes and expressionist color schemes, I blur the boundaries between figure and background, seeking to convey the uncertainty and multiplicity of female identity.
This creative approach allows me to challenge conventional narratives, drawing from Klimt's visual language while imbuing it with contemporary perspectives. It serves as a critical reflection on gendered power structures, illustrating the enduring complexity of female subjectivity.
Ornamentation and Emotion: Inspirations and Reflections on the Decorative Aesthetic of the Vienna Secession
Emotional Expression in the Decorative Art of the Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession, with its distinctive ornamental style and acute sensitivity to the emotional complexities of modernity, opened new possibilities for artistic expression. Artists like Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele employed decorative motifs and distorted forms to convey modern emotions such as anxiety and loneliness. These works, characterized by their visual impact and externalized emotion, seamlessly combined figurative and abstract elements, dissolving the boundaries between fine art and decorative art.
Klimt, in particular, excelled at using ornamental elements as extensions of emotion. Through intricate geometric patterns, subtle color contrasts, and symbolic motifs, Klimt established an organic relationship between the background and the figure, thereby enhancing the emotional depth of his compositions. For instance, in The Kiss, heavily influenced by Byzantine mosaics, Klimt employed gold leaf and intricate patterns to vividly communicate human emotions through visual symbolism (Klimt et al, 2001). In contrast, Schiele used contorted bodily forms to reveal human anxiety and struggle, breaking proportions and symmetry to create a tension that evokes unease and vulnerability.
The interplay between ornamentation and abstraction resonates with Immanuel Kant's theory of the "sublime", which seeks to transcend concrete imagery and evoke the viewer's imagination and emotional response (Megan, 2020). The abstract elements of decorative art elevate works beyond narrative into realms of emotional and spiritual experience, crafting an aesthetic that is both complex and immediate.
The kiss, Gustav Klimt, oil on canvas, 180×180cm, 1907
The 20th Century Chinese Female Artist Pan Yuliang and Artistic Innovation from a Female Perspective: An Exploration of the Fusion of Chinese and Western Art and Emotional Expression
Pan Yuliang, A Trailblazer of 20th Century Chinese Female Art and the Exploration of Emotional Expression through the Fusion of Chinese and Western Art. Pan Yuliang, the first influential Chinese female artist of the 20th century, stands as the pioneering figure in the history of Chinese female art. Her life was marked by upheaval and hardship, from early rejection of her feminine identity, to a return to embracing her feminine qualities, and eventually, a rejection of the patriarchal society. In her self-representative body of work, Pan Yuliang portrayed the journey of a female artist towards liberation and independence. Her artistic innovations transcended the boundaries between East and West, ingeniously blending Western modernist techniques with traditional Chinese aesthetics, establishing a unique female perspective in her art. Pan’s innovations lie not only in her technical mastery but also in how she navigated the expression of female imagery and inner emotions.
At the age of 14, Pan was sold by her uncle into a brothel, and by 17, she was redeemed by a man as a concubine. Her brief yet tumultuous experiences in the brothel placed her at the lowest rungs of female society, and this background often permeated her artworks with a rare female gaze that reflected on and critiqued her circumstances. From 1921 to 1928, Pan traveled to Europe for further education, briefly attending the École des beaux-arts in Lyon, followed by studies at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts in Paris, and then at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, Italy.
Pan Yuliang’s work absorbed the achievements of the Impressionist movement, alongside her personal style in portraying the female form. Her figures are robust and strong, in stark contrast to the fragile and sorrowful women commonly seen in traditional Chinese painting. Influenced by the Western aesthetic that celebrated full, healthy female forms, Pan adopted a more dynamic approach to her subjects. In her portraiture, one can trace compositions inspired by Titian and Leonardo’s Madonna themes. Her brushwork seems to combine the techniques of Renoir and Monet, merging fuller figures with expressive brushstrokes that emphasize the tactile shifts of the human form and the subtle emotions therein. These elements highlight the richness and vitality of Chinese women during her time, with a color palette that imbues her work with a more forceful and vibrant rhythm than that seen in other contemporary Chinese painters.
A significant portion of Pan’s work consists of portraits, figure studies, and groups of figures, many of which are self-portraits, a subject she was most familiar with. Early in her artistic journey, she practiced by using a mirror to model herself. In these self-portraits, she is occasionally depicted in qipao, imbued with strong Eastern charm, while at other times she wears Western attire, projecting a sense of freedom and elegance. From photographs of her time, it is clear that she preferred Western-style clothing in daily life, but her works often blended "Parisian" and "Chinese" elements, finding a unique style in the intersection of Eastern and Western cultural sensibilities. During this period, her color use became freer, with stronger contrasts, more abstract and slightly exaggerated forms, and more expressive brushwork, incorporating a greater variety of lines. Her works combine European cultural influences with Chinese folk sensibilities, providing a multifaceted view of the path Impressionism took to China, shifting the focus of modern painting from the European bourgeoisie to the lives of ordinary Chinese people.
As a female artist, Pan's nuanced expression of the female body and inner emotions conveyed a sense of contradiction and tension, with an almost palpable melancholy emerging from the canvas. In her portraits of women, a common motif is the presence of blooming flowers beside the figure, their branches stretching into the foreground, the flowers vibrant and dynamic, evoking a sense of lively rhythm. Pan Yuliang frequently employed plants and floral elements in her paintings, not as mere decoration but as symbols imbued with profound meaning. For example, certain flowers in her works, with their bright colors and delicate forms, subtly suggest the tenderness and intricacy of the female soul. This made me realize that plants and flowers can serve as a bridge linking a woman's inner emotions to her outward expression.
In the context of Chinese culture, plants and flowers carry rich cultural connotations. Inspired by this, I have sought to incorporate traditional Chinese plants with special meanings into my own work, using these cultural symbols to convey deeper emotional worlds of women. In my recent works, I have experimented with woodcut printmaking techniques.
In my recent drafts, I have also appropriated Gustav Klimt's portraits of women, continuing to explore woodcut as a unique artistic form. I have focused on four plants that are highly representative of China—plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum—in a series of woodcut prints. In traditional Chinese culture, these four plants, known as the "Four Gentlemen," are often used to symbolize the noble qualities of women. I hope to subtly hint at the inner purity and elegance of the women in these works, allowing the viewer to sense the richness of the female spirit through these plant symbols.
I chose woodcut printmaking because it allows me to blend Western and Chinese artistic techniques. Western painting emphasizes realism and three-dimensionality, and woodcut carving can precisely express light, shade, and texture, adding depth to the image. Meanwhile, Chinese traditional painting emphasizes line and cultural connotation, and the lines in woodcuts can also capture a sense of strength or delicacy, akin to traditional brushwork, effectively conveying the form and symbolism of plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. My aim is to integrate these plants skillfully into my future works, making them subtle background patterns and key elements in the composition. When these woodcuts serve as background patterns, they function like hidden cultural threads beneath the surface of the artwork.
"Half-Nude Self-Portrait"，65x80cm，oil on canvas, 1963
Self-Portrait in Red，73x59cm，oil on canvas, 1945
Self-Portrait ，35.5x25.5cm，oil on canvas, 1946
Pears and Chrysanthemums，73x57cm，oil on canvas
Works with No Available References， Pan Yuliang
My recent woodcut printmaking creations and experimental drafts based on Klimt's female portrait works
Plants that represent the feminine spirit in Chinese culture: Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum.
Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum, wood cutting on wood and printmaking pigments on paper, 30x40cmx12,2025
Drafts of the Reconstruction of Klimt's Female Portraits.
Redefining Ornamentation and Emotion: From Classical to Contemporary
Klimt's artistic language, deeply rooted in Byzantine and Egyptian art traditions, reimagined classical and modern aesthetics through his use of vibrant colors, gold leaf, and geometric patterns. This ornamental vocabulary has profoundly shaped my understanding of the narrative potential of color. In my work, I aim to use decorative elements to represent the dilemmas of contemporary women navigating the intersections of societal and familial roles, channeling emotional intensity through color.
For instance, in Away from the close, I deconstructed traditional compositions through freehand strokes and abstract forms. By combining dynamic lines and geometric patterns, I blurred the boundaries between figures and backgrounds to evoke a sense of fluidity and ambiguity. My practice also incorporates expressionist techniques, layering rough, textured brushstrokes with ornamentation to reinterpret Klimt's works through a contemporary lens. By repeating and distorting decorative motifs, I redefine representations of femininity, responding to the gender anxieties and power structures embedded in classical art.
Conclusion
The ornamental aesthetics of the Vienna Secession have provided me with a framework to reinterpret artistic form and content. Klimt's meticulous use of decorative elements has taught me how to communicate emotional tension through visual language, inspiring strategies to uncover internal struggles. In my practice, ornamentation is not merely a formal device but a critical tool. Through reconstruction and deconstruction, I aim to explore the multifaceted identities and emotions of contemporary women. This method serves as both an homage to Klimt's decorative aesthetics and an exploration of female subjectivity in the modern world.
Appropriation and Reconstruction: Contemporary Reflections and Reinterpretations of Gendered Power in Classical Artworks
Through an analysis of Klimt's female portraits and their complex sociocultural contexts, alongside the artistic practices of Cindy Sherman and Emma Talbot, this study explores the potential of appropriation as a creative strategy to redefine female representation and challenge gendered power structures. From Sherman's absurd deconstruction to Talbot's empowerment through reinterpretation, these practices reveal the limitations of classical art's reductive portrayals of women while fostering new narratives of female identity and subjectivity.
Appropriation and reconstruction are not merely formal strategies, but also critical tools for engaging with and challenging traditional gender hierarchies in art. In my work, I base my practice on the female portraits of Gustav Klimt and the pioneering Chinese female artist Pan Yuliang, employing this critical approach to question and reimagine gender power structures through the lens of contemporary female experience. By appropriating gender symbols from classical art and integrating representative Chinese plants that embody the free-spirited nature of Chinese women, I strive to propose a new interpretation of female subjectivity within the visual context of contemporary Chinese women artists. Ultimately, I invite the audience to engage in a dialogue and reflect on the unique strength and complexity of contemporary women. The shift from classical to contemporary represents a reevaluation of art history and a reimagining of female identity.
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