Gustav Klimt. Bauerngarten mit Sonnenblumen (1905/1906). Belvedere Palace and Museum, Vienna.
What is the purpose of creation?
That everything might simply be. —Meister Eckhart | Sweeney and Burrows, from “Lesson I” (Unlearning)
Since we’re on the subject of postcards from Eileen V, I might as well share the two Klimt postcards she sent last year. Eileen keeps me well supplied with sunflowers, so it was with pleasure that she sent and I received–not one but–two sunflower postcards featuring the work of Austrian artist Gustav Klimt (1862-1918). Klimt was a Symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession (Art Nouveau) movement.
Despite his extensive portfolio. I am, unsurprisingly, drawn most to his sunflower pieces.
The piece above is entitled Bauerngarten mit Sonnenblumen (or Farm Garden with Sunflowers). My camera and I would love to explore such a garden exploding with color. [Note: I have seen four different dates assigned to this work, so I am not sure of the correct date–1905-1906, 1912, 1913, 1916–but 1905/06 seems more likely].
The second scene, Die Sonnenblume (or The Sunflower), could have been extracted from another part of the garden presented in the first piece–though that is clearly not the case.
Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), “Die Sonnenblume” (“The Sunflower”), 1906/1907, Private Collection, Vienna
The scan does very little for this postcard. The broad leaves of the sunflower are trimmed in gold and the postcard itself features gilded edges. Unfortunately, the scan rendered them a strange, dark color, which wasn’t visually appealing (so I cropped away the border). Notwithstanding the subpar scan, Her Majesty is pretty impressive.
For a glimpse of the unaltered original, click here: Die Sonnenblume, and for Farm Garden with Sunflowers, click here: Bauerngarten mit Sonnenblumen. [Be sure to click the links above to learn a little about the artist and the works].
Klimt gifted us sunflowers and gardens that serve no other purpose but to live gloriously in their natural state. Their brilliance beckons us and we simply stand in awe.
Pics and Posts 
I’m sure I’ve told you how much I love sunflowers! They remind me of home (first 20 years of my life) in Northeast Kansas, the Sunflower State. 🌻
I often used them as a métaphore and example in therapy with my clients.
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Kat!!! I did not remember that! I will have to send you some sunflower love soon. Have you “tangled” any sunflowers? I would love to see one? Or place one on my sunflower wall!!!
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I have only tangled one sunflowery tile that I sent to a friend! I can’t believe it! I need to rectify that and soon! I found it. I will send it to you on Messenger. It’s not true sunflower 🌻 however this post has spurred me on to make one!
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Yay! I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
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I love how the artist has made the sunflower part of the flower garden, right in it! Often sunflowers are just edging or grown all by themselves. I’m not sure which of these paintings I like best, but I like looking at them. The sunflowers seem to have a personality in them.
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You’re right. The sunflowers often stand alone, but these seem to serve as sentinels in the garden.
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Stunning. Thanks for sharing the links as well, Chandra. Have a sunny day! 🙂
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My wife and I just toured Vienna last week and saw some of Klimt’s work! Beautiful. Thanks for this wonderful post.
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