Danaë is one of Gustav Klimt’s most famous and controversial oil paintings created during his “golden period” in 1907-08. Measuring 77 x 83 cm, this painting depicts a sleeping Danaë, the symbol of transcendence and divine love, with golden rain representing Jupiter falling on her. The piece is currently displayed in the Galerie Würthle in Vienna.
Klimt’s Danaë belongs to the Symbolism movement that began in Europe around this time. The artist had an obsession with the female form; hence it is no surprise that he chose a seductive subject like Danaë as his muse. The golden rain seems to be telling a story of transformation, as ordinary women become idealized into something more significant than themselves.
The painting has been criticized for being too risque in its portrayal of Danae’s legs. All these elements combine to make Klimt’s masterpiece an enigmatic artwork interpreted differently by many over time.