Kayla Wilder

Professor Diehl

Humanities 2010

11 September 2023

Hope and Heartache: Analyzing Klimt’s “Hope II”

Love. That is the first word that came to mind when I saw Gustav Klimt’s painting

entitled “Hope II.” But love itself is such a broad word to describe the entirety of this painting.

Instead of just “love,” Klimt encapsulates the feelings that come with the word in different

forms, such as storge and agape, through color choice, lighting, and placement.

Even from a quick glance at this painting, the observer can see that storge love between a

mother and her child is present. The mother is looking longingly at her unborn baby, possibly

waiting for the day that they will meet. Even the garment that the woman is wearing seems to

represent the celebration that is to come with all its confetti-like colors drifting down. But upon

further observation, the painting seems to be much more eerie. The mother’s face exudes deep

sadness, which can be seen by the tears trailing down her face. Maybe the mother is afraid of

what could happen during childbirth. Perhaps she knows that her child will not make it, which

would explain the skull hiding within the clothing. Or maybe she is thinking of how long she will

be able to see her child grow up until it is her time to pass. But even with these thoughts of

impending doom, she is still hopeful that the baby will come into this world alive.

This idea of hope in the face of doom is further represented in the choice of background.

The base of the background seems to be a very dark color with a light spread of gold spread on

top of it. Playing with lights and darks within his paintings to convey emotions or personalities

seems to be something Klimt experiments with a lot like in “Love” and “The Kiss” which we
discussed during class. But instead of using it to portray the good and evil or the strength and

fragility in the power dynamics of love, he is now using it to show that love can be a glimmer of

hope in what seems to be a difficult time.

As the observer shifts from the background to the forefront of the painting, another form

of love starts to take shape in the three women kneeling at the bottom of the painting. Although

these people could be seen as friends portraying philia, I view it as the agape love that women

have for each other. They are showing this universal love by praying for the safe arrival of a new

life into this world. With their hands lifted towards the sky, they show a mutual understanding of

the burden that comes with carrying a child and the risks that could come with it.

Overall, this painting of Klimt’s portrays the pain and heartache that comes with

parenthood and familial love. You end up having so much love for a child that has yet to be born,

and all you can do is wait anxiously and hope for a safe arrival. This concept of love is

something I have yet to have the pleasure of experiencing, but it is a universal love that all

mothers have.