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Klimt, a Master of Patterns

Students will explore the life and art of Gustav Klimt and create a patterned piece of artwork.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Paper

Steps

  • Step 1

    Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) was an Austrian artist and a prominent member of the Vienna Secession movement. Have students research his life, art style, and some of his works. What is the Vienna Sesession movement? What other art movement does it resemble? What is Klimt's distinctive art style?

  • Step 2

    Ask students to view images of some of Klimt's paintings, such as "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer" (1907), "The Kiss" (1907-08), or "The Tree of Life" (1909). Have them note the intricate use of patterns and ornamentation and discuss how that contributes to the sense of depth and blurs the line between traditional portraiture and modern abstract art.

  • Step 3

    Have students use markers to create a colorful and vibrant patterned work of art. Encourage them to use bold colors and patterns that may have special meaning to them.

  • Step 4

    When the artwork is complete, display the pieces on a bulletin board or in school hallways.

Standards

ARTS: Analyze how the arts reflect changing times, traditions, resources, and cultural uses.

ARTS: Speculate about processes an artist uses to create a work of art. 

Adaptations

Have students explore other artists in the Vienna Secession and their works. Suggestions include architect Josef Hoffman, painter and printmaker Max Kurzweil, and painter Wilhelm Bernatzik.

Many viewed Vienna, Austria as the cultural heart of Europe. Have students investigate some reasons for this association. For example, the Habsburg Empire, which ruled much of Europe for centuries, was led by the Habsburgs who were great patrons of the arts. Their influence is still seen in the city's architecture. Mozart and Beethoven both spent a considerable amount of time there and Franz Schubert, one of the greatest composers of the Romantic period, was born there.