What would you do if you were a famous artist and your favorite model, Herma, just stopped showing up for work? If you’re Gustav Klimt, you send someone to find out if she's okay. When he learned she was simply pregnant and ashamed to be seen, he didn't fire her. He didn't find a new "muse." He told her to come back anyway because he wanted to paint exactly what was happening to her body.
That choice eventually gave us Gustav Klimt Hope 2, one of the most hypnotic and slightly creepy masterpieces of the 20th century. Honestly, it’s a painting that feels like a fever dream. You have this massive, towering figure of a woman wrapped in a robe so decorative it looks like it belongs in a Byzantine cathedral, yet right there, peeking out from the fabric, is a literal human skull.
Why the World Wasn't Ready for Hope II
Back in 1907, people didn't really "do" pregnancy in fine art. It was considered a private medical condition or, at worst, a vulgar display of sexuality. Klimt didn't care. He was already the "bad boy" of the Vienna Secession, a group of artists who were tired of the stuffy, old-school rules of the Academy.
When he painted the first version, Hope I, in 1903, it was a scandal. The woman was completely nude, her belly was huge, and she was surrounded by monstrous figures representing sickness and death. It was so controversial that it was pulled from exhibitions.
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By the time he got to Gustav Klimt Hope 2 (painted between 1907 and 1908), he’d calmed down—sorta. He decided to clothe the woman this time. But instead of making it "safe," he turned the clothing into the main event. He used oil, gold, and even platinum on the canvas. The result is a flat, 2D cloak that looks like a high-fashion mosaic, while her face and skin are painted with soft, realistic depth.
The Mystery of the "Vision"
Klimt didn't actually call this painting Hope II at first. He titled it Vision.
The name we use today only stuck because it was so clearly a sequel to his earlier, more "offensive" work. If you look at it closely, you’ll see why "Vision" makes sense. The woman has her eyes closed. She’s not looking at us. She’s looking inward. It’s like she’s in a trance, hovering somewhere between the physical world and a spiritual one.
The Symbolism Hidden in the Gold
If you’re standing in front of this piece at the MoMA in New York, you’ll notice the women at the bottom first. There are three of them. They’re bowing their heads, hands raised in a way that feels like prayer. Or maybe it’s mourning?
That’s the thing about Klimt. He loves to keep you guessing.
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- The Skull: It sits right on her belly. Some art historians, like those at the Museum of Modern Art, suggest it represents the very real danger of childbirth in the early 1900s. Death was always a heartbeat away from life.
- The Robe: Look at the patterns. You’ll see circles and squares, which many experts believe represent male and female energies.
- The Halo: Interestingly, Klimt actually painted a halo over her head at one point and then painted over it later. He replaced the religious "saint" vibe with the more visceral, psychological "skull" vibe.
Klimt was living in Vienna at the same time as Sigmund Freud. You can really feel that influence here. It’s not just a picture of a pregnant lady; it’s an exploration of the "Eros" and "Thanatos"—the drive for life and the inevitability of death—coexisting in one body.
A Masterclass in Material: Gold and Platinum
We often talk about Klimt’s "Golden Phase," and Gustav Klimt Hope 2 is a prime example of why he was obsessed with metal. He wasn't just using yellow paint. He was applying actual leaves of gold and platinum.
This technique came from his trip to Ravenna, Italy. He saw the mosaics there and was blown away by how the light hit the gold. He wanted his paintings to glow from within. When you see the original, the robe doesn't just look "bright"—it looks heavy. It looks like a physical object you could peel off the wall.
The contrast is what makes it work. You have the "soft" reality of Herma’s face and breasts, which are rounded and vulnerable, encased in this "hard," geometric, indestructible armor of gold. It’s a metaphor for the fragility of life protected by the grandeur of art.
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The Legacy of the Work Today
So, why does a 120-year-old painting of a pregnant woman still matter?
Because it’s honest.
Most art from that era tried to make everything look pretty and perfect. Klimt admitted that life is messy. He showed that even in a moment of "hope"—the birth of a child—there is fear. There is anxiety. There is the ghost of mortality.
It was eventually acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in 1978, and it remains one of their most popular draws. It survived the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the rise of the Nazis (who actually destroyed several of Klimt’s other major works), and the shifting tides of the art world.
How to Appreciate It Like a Pro
If you want to really "get" this painting, don't just look at the woman. Look at the negative space. The background is dark, flecked with gold, almost like a night sky. It makes the central pillar of figures feel like they are floating in an infinite void.
- Notice the hands. The way the pregnant woman holds her hand up, palm out—it’s a gesture of "stay back" or perhaps a blessing.
- Compare the colors. Notice how the women at the bottom have skin that looks almost grey or sickly compared to the main figure.
- Check the dimensions. It’s a perfect square (110.5 x 110.5 cm). Klimt loved the square format because it felt stable and balanced, even when the subject matter was chaotic.
Practical Steps for Art Lovers
If you're inspired by Gustav Klimt Hope 2, you don't have to just stare at it online. Here is how to dive deeper:
- Visit the MoMA: If you're in New York, go to the 5th floor. Standing in front of the gold leaf is a completely different experience than seeing a digital screen. The way the light shifts as you walk past it is part of the art.
- Research the "Golden Phase": Look up The Kiss and The Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I. You’ll see the exact same DNA in those paintings—the same obsession with geometric robes and flat backgrounds.
- Study the Vienna Secession: If you like Klimt, look into Egon Schiele. He was Klimt’s protégé, though his work is much darker and more "raw." It helps put Klimt’s "decorative" style into context.
- Check out the Provenance: This painting has a wild history. It was once owned by Eugenie Primavesi, a famous supporter of the arts in Vienna. Tracking how these paintings moved during the war years is a rabbit hole worth falling down.
Basically, Hope II is a reminder that beauty isn't just about things looking "nice." It's about the tension between what we want (life, birth, gold) and what we're afraid of (death, the skull). It’s a vision that hasn't lost an ounce of its power in over a century.