Garden with Roosters 1917

Gustav Klimt made this painting, Garden with Roosters, in oil paint, we’re not sure exactly when. What I notice first is how the whole thing is built up with these tiny dabs of paint, each one a little decision, a little movement. Look closely at the way he renders the flowers, each bloom a mosaic of color. The paint isn't thick, but it's layered, creating a surface that shimmers with light. The colors are earthy—greens, browns, and muted reds—but they vibrate against each other. Notice the roosters; they’re not just plopped in, but woven into the garden's fabric. The one in the foreground, with its dark silhouette, anchors the whole composition. Klimt's process reminds me a bit of Bonnard, that idea of building up a scene from these little, almost abstract marks. It's like he's inviting us to get lost in the details, to see the world as a collection of tiny moments. It feels like an ongoing conversation, a push and pull between representation and pure abstraction.