Product description
The story of human civilization could not be imagined without artists, their singular view of the world and their many masterpieces. Montblanc spotlights the indelible mark artists have left on our collective culture with its Masters of Art collector line, a series of collections honoring great artists’ quest for self-expression across disciplines, a quest Montblanc both celebrates and participates in as a Maison rooted in fine craftsmanship. The line’s second collection pays tribute to the creative visionary Gustav Klimt, considered one of the most important artists of Art Nouveau and symbolism.
Gustav Klimt (July 14, 1862 - February 6, 1918), a skilled colorist and representative of a new decorative aesthetic beyond the borders of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, expanded his horizons beyond traditional art at the age of 35 and ushered in a radical style change by founding the Vienna Secession: a new, progressive artists’ association. In his rebellion against stereotypical concepts in art and society, Gustav Klimt was a pioneer of the avant-garde, experimenting with new, uncommon means of expression. He fused realistic representation, ornamentation and abstraction in a style that reached its culmination in his large-format, visionary portraits often depicting women. He created momentous, gold-infused paintings such as The Kiss , as well as abstract murals such as the Beethoven Frieze and the Stoclet Frieze .
Like every Masters of Art collection, the proportions of the cap and barrel of the writing instruments correspond to the golden ratio, a timeless aesthetic principle connecting many of the world’s most admired artworks. The overall shape is inspired by the Vienna Secession movement, with the “cuts” created by the rings symbolizing the cuts in the Secession architecture. The cone is inspired by the dome of the Vienna Secession building, while the green inlay recalls the color of the group’s magazine Ver Sacrum.
The specially designed clip refers to Klimt's Pallas Athene painting: the slightly curved lines ending in three spirals correspond to the decoration on the painting’s forged metal frame, which Klimt commissioned for his painting of the goddess. The spiral ornamentation, a typical motif found on Mycenaean gold jewellery, refers to Athene's Greek homeland. The “GK” featured on every edition
is Gustav Klimt’s monogram published in the XIV catalogue for the Vienna Secession in 1902.
Masters of Art Homage to Gustav Klimt Limited Edition 4810
Limited to 4810 pieces, a reference to the height of the Mont Blanc, the Montblanc Masters of Art Homage to Gustav Klimt Limited Edition 4810 celebrates his artistic beginnings in the Vienna Secession and highlights elements from his masterpieces Pallas Athene and The Kiss in its design. The color of the writing instrument evokes one of his first paintings to place equal value on the ornamentation, a portrait from 1902 of his partner and muse Emilie Flöge, depicted in a dreamy, almost mystical blue. The circles, swirls, triangles and lines shimmering through the translucent, dark-blue lacquer of the writing instrument come from his famous painting The Kiss , in which two
lovers seem to dissolve into ornamental, geometric forms through the power of emotion. The pairing of translucent blue lacquer and yellow gold-coated hammered metal references the famous works of Gustav Klimt's Golden Phase. The cone is set with a synthetic green spinel, the
color evoking spring, the season of new beginnings.
The handcrafted solid Au 750 yellow gold nib is finely engraved with an owl, symbol of knowledge, wisdom and insight and considered the faithful companion animal of the Greek goddess Athene. The engraving is both a reference to Gustav Klimt's painting Pallas Athene and to the Secession building, the side facades of which are decorated with owl sculptures. The Montblanc emblem, crafted from white and black precious resin, is set in the cap top.
