plate no. 7832
Malcesine sur le lac de Garde
Gustav Klimt, 1913
recreation guide
Malcesine sur le lac de Garde (1913) is a landscape painting by Gustav Klimt, created during the final years of his life. While Klimt is most famously associated with the 'Golden Phase' and the use of gold leaf in his figurative works and allegories (Source 4, Source 8), his landscapes from this period are distinct for their vibrant, almost abstract use of color and light. Unlike his earlier decorative works, these later landscapes often eschew gold leaf in favor of pure oil paint to capture the atmospheric effects of nature. The work falls under the genre of cityscape or landscape, depicting the town of Malcesine on Lake Garda (Source 3). Klimt’s approach to landscape was characterized by a focus on the surface quality and color relationships rather than strict topographical accuracy, reflecting his Art Nouveau sensibilities and influence from Japanese art (Source 4).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
7 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (various pigments) | Primary medium for the painting | — |
| Linseed oil or poppy seed oil | Binder for pigments; provides flexibility and rich color | — |
| Turpentine | Thinner for initial layers and cleaning brushes | — |
| Canvas | Support surface | — |
| Palette knife | For removing paint if it 'works up' or fails to settle, and for applying thick impasto | — |
| Blotting paper | To absorb superfluous oil if the first layer dries too slowly or lifts off the canvas | — |
| Mastic or amber varnish | Added to color to help steady paint that does not settle well on the canvas | — |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a standard oil-primed canvas. Klimt’s landscapes were executed on canvas, consistent with the common use of oil painting on canvas for several centuries (Source 2). Ensure the ground is not overly absorbent, as the first painting on a new canvas often dries very slowly and may 'work up' (leave the canvas when worked over) (Source 1). If the paint lifts off the canvas during initial application, blotting paper can be used to absorb superfluous oil, or the paint can be removed with a palette knife and the surface cleaned again (Source 1).
underdrawing
Klimt’s specific preparatory methods for his late landscapes are not explicitly detailed in the provided sources. However, given his background in architectural decoration and his move toward a more personal, decorative style, he likely employed a loose underdrawing or directly blocked in colors. There is no evidence in the sources of a rigid, detailed underdrawing for his landscapes, contrasting with his more structured figurative works.
underpainting
The sources do not specify a distinct underpainting layer for Klimt’s landscapes. However, general oil painting practice suggests that initial layers may dry slowly. If the first layer does not settle, it is advisable to paint with greater solidity and less oil in subsequent layers (Source 1). For solid light passages, painting without a medium may help complete the study in one sitting (Source 1).
color palette
Vibrant Blues and Greens
Cobalt blue, emerald green, viridian
Depicting the water of Lake Garda and the surrounding foliage, consistent with Klimt’s use of rich, dense color in his landscapes
Warm Earth Tones
Ochre, sienna, burnt umber
Representing the buildings of Malcesine and the rocky terrain, reflecting the 'richer and denser color' advantage of oil paint (Source 2)
Bright Whites and Yellows
Titanium white, cadmium yellow
Capturing the light and atmospheric conditions, aligning with the 'wider range from light to dark' offered by oil painting (Source 2)
Gold (Historical Context)
Gold leaf
Note: While Klimt is famous for gold leaf (Source 4, Source 8), this specific 1913 landscape likely relies on oil paint alone, as his later landscapes moved away from the gold technique used in his 'Golden Phase' figurative works. Do not use gold leaf unless specific evidence confirms its presence in this particular work.
composition
The artwork is a cityscape/landscape, depicting an urban landscape within a natural setting (Source 3). Klimt’s composition likely emphasizes the flatness and decoration characteristic of Art Nouveau (Source 8), even in his landscapes. The arrangement of elements—buildings, water, and sky—would be organized to create a harmonious visual order, utilizing line, shape, and color to guide the viewer’s eye (Source 7). Specific compositional details of Malcesine sur le lac de Garde are not described in the sources, so general principles of Klimt’s decorative style should be applied.
step by step
underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing→surfaceprep
underpainting
step 02
Apply initial layers of paint with greater solidity and less oil to ensure the paint settles on the canvas. For solid light passages, consider painting without a medium to allow for faster drying and completion in one sitting.
Tip — Avoid using too much medium in the first layers to prevent slow drying and lifting (Source 1).
Solid Painting
first pass
step 03
Block in the main colors of the landscape: the blue/green of the lake, the earth tones of the town, and the sky. Use the flexibility of oil paint to create rich, dense colors.
Tip — Utilize the 'richer and denser color' advantage of oil painting to establish the atmospheric mood (Source 2).
Color Blocking
refining
step 04
Refine the details of the town and the water. Klimt’s style often involves a decorative approach, so focus on the pattern and rhythm of the colors rather than strict realism. If using different oils for specific effects, ensure compatibility.
Tip — An artist might use several different oils in the same painting depending on specific pigments and effects desired (Source 2).
Layering
finishing
step 05
Add final highlights and shadows. If any areas remain unstable, a little mastic or amber varnish mixed with the color may help steady the paint (Source 1).
Tip — Experience alone will enable you to overcome technical difficulties such as paint not settling (Source 1).
Stabilizing Paint
varnishing
step 06
Once the painting is completely dry, apply a varnish for protection and to enhance the sheen. The oil may be boiled with a resin, such as pine resin or frankincense, to create a varnish (Source 2).
Tip — Varnish provides protection and texture, completing the work (Source 2).
Varnishing
surfaceprep
step 01
Prepare the canvas with a standard oil ground. Be aware that the first layer of paint on a new canvas may dry slowly and lift off the surface.
Tip — If the paint 'works up,' use blotting paper to absorb excess oil or remove the paint with a palette knife and clean the canvas (Source 1).
Canvas Preparation
critical techniques
Solid Painting with Less Oil
To prevent paint from lifting off the canvas ('working up'), especially in the first layers. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the paint film on new canvas (Source 1).
Use of Different Oils
Klimt, like other oil painters, may have used different drying oils (linseed, poppy, walnut, safflower) to achieve specific drying times and sheens for different parts of the landscape (Source 2).
Decorative Flatness
Consistent with Klimt’s Art Nouveau style, the landscape should emphasize flatness and decoration rather than deep perspective, reflecting his principles applied to portraits and allegories (Source 8).
common pitfalls
- →Paint lifting off the canvas ('working up') due to excessive oil in the first layers. This can be mitigated by using blotting paper or removing the paint and repainting with less oil (Source 1).
- →Slow drying of the first layer on a new canvas. This is a common technical difficulty that requires patience and possibly the use of mastic or amber varnish to steady the paint (Source 1).
- →Over-reliance on gold leaf. While Klimt is famous for gold leaf, his late landscapes like Malcesine sur le lac de Garde typically do not use it. Using gold leaf here would be historically inaccurate for this specific work (Source 4, Source 8).
- →Ignoring the atmospheric conditions. Klimt’s landscapes are noted for their vibrant color and light, so failing to capture the 'richer and denser color' and 'wider range from light to dark' would miss the essence of the work (Source 2).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific color palette for Malcesine sur le lac de Garde: The sources do not list the exact pigments used in this painting.
- ·Detailed compositional analysis: The sources do not describe the specific arrangement of buildings, water, and sky in this particular artwork.
- ·Preparatory sketches: There is no information on whether Klimt used underdrawings or sketches for this landscape.
- ·Brushwork specifics: While Klimt’s style is described as decorative, the specific brushstroke techniques (e.g., impasto, glazing) for this landscape are not detailed in the sources.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting — STILL LIFE IN COLOUR↗
- Technical difficulties with new canvas — applied to Surface preparation, underpainting, and troubleshooting paint lifting
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 1 — applied to Materials, advantages of oil paint, and varnishing
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — part 13 — applied to Genre classification (cityscape/landscape)
Wikipedia bio — Gustav Klimt↗
- Gustav Klimt — part 1 & 7 — applied to Artist’s style, use of gold leaf (and its absence in late landscapes), and Art Nouveau principles
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 1 — applied to General compositional principles
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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