The Kiss by Gustav Klimt the focus of film ‘Klimt and the Kiss’

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt is one of the most recognised and reproduced paintings in the world. Painted in Vienna in 1908, the evocative image of an unknown embracing couple has captivated viewers with its mystery, sensuality and dazzling materials.

Now the unique arts brand, Exhibition on Screen, the team behind the blockbuster film Vermeer: The Greatest Exhibition, the UK’s biggest grossing fine art film, asks what lies behind the appeal of the painting, and just who was the artist that created it in Klimt and the Kiss, released in UK cinemas on Tuesday 30th October 2023.

During his lifetime, Klimt was both a controversial and a much-admired artist, who dominated the art scene. Born in 1862, Gustav Klimt was a titan of the Art Nouveau movement creating decadent new worlds which merged tender sensuality, ancient mythology and radical modernity.

Many of his paintings portrayed women’s beauty and the allure and mystery of the female body. The often-scandalous work of his “Golden Period”, created by using a unique method that let him apply natural, wafer-thin gold leaf onto canvas, produced some of his most renowned works, including the timeless symbol of beauty and artistic expression, the iconic masterpiece THE KISS.

Stepping into a world of passion and emotion the powerful and gripping new film Klimt and the Kiss from director Ali Ray (‘Frida Kahlo’, ‘Mary Cassatt – Painting the Modern Woman’) explores this masterpiece that captures the essence of love and the human experience so well. The film delves into the details of the real gold, decorative designs, symbolism and simmering erotica, and exams the rich tapestry of extraordinary influences behind one of the world’s favourite paintings which is on display at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, Austria.

The 90 minute movie, Klimt and the Kiss in cinemas nationwide on Tuesday 30th October 2023.