"Medicine" by Gustav Klimt

In 1894 the Austrian Ministry of Culture and Education commissioned Gustav Klimt produce a group of paintings that would allegorize the Faculties of the University and the paintings were to be installed in the University's Graduation Hall. Thus Klimt produced The Faculty Pictures - Philosophy, Medicine, and Jurisprudence. One hundred years have passed since Klimt created his masterpieces, yet they have not received the attention they deserve - few critical analyses of the paintings have revealed their intellectual depth and formal sophistication. This essay, meant as a partial remedy, analyzes Medicine. Here we discuss Klimt's morphology, aesthetic paradigm, and juxtaposition of vernacular and classical traditions. Also, we demonstrate that photography had an impact on Klimt and hypothesize that Muybridge's serial photography may have provided him with a catalyst. In conclusion we propose that Medicine embodies the tradition of German Transcendental Idealism as expounded by Schopenhauer in his book which shaped nineteenth century aesthetics - The World as Will and Representation.