Baby 1917 - 1918

Gustav Klimt made ‘Baby’ with oil on canvas, and right away you get a sense of someone who really loved the stuff of paint. He piles it on, kind of sculptural, and there’s a real joy in the mixing of colors right there on the canvas. Look at how he uses these small, quick strokes to build up the textures, especially in the fabrics. It’s like he’s thinking about how patterns and colors can create a whole world, a kind of cozy, protective space for this tiny human. I’m drawn to the swirly blues and greens near the bottom—it almost looks like the baby is nestled in a secret garden, a magical place dreamed up by Klimt’s brush. It reminds me a bit of Van Gogh, actually, that same love for texture and movement. This piece feels like a real conversation, an exchange of ideas across time, all about the joy and wonder of creating.