The Tree of Life with Gold Leaf

Central panel for the mural at the Palais Stoclet in Bruxelles. The interior of this building was decorated with marble paneling and artworks, and included the mosaic friezes by Klimt and the murals by Ludwig Heinrich Jungnickel. This integration of architects, artists, and artisans made Stoclet Palace an example of Gesamtkunstwerk, one of the defining characteristics of Jugendstil. The sketches of Klimt's work for the dining room can be found in the permanent collection of Museum für angewandte Kunst (MAK) in Vienna. The panel shows different influences, converging together: from the Byzantine mosaic art to the Japanese prints. But especially dominant is the Egyptian culture, in the posture of the figures and the iteration of the decorative motifs.