Wotan and Brunhilde 1915

Koloman Moser painted Wotan and Brunhilde with oils on canvas, and what strikes me is the freedom he allows himself with each brushstroke. There’s a real sense of energy in how the paint is applied. Moser uses a limited palette but he’s not afraid to let colors clash and vibrate against each other. The pinks of the clouds are almost electric against the blues, and the earthy tones of the figures add a grounding element. Look at the way he renders the figures, the paint is thick and textured, giving them a sculptural presence. In contrast, the background is flatter, almost dreamlike. It’s as if Moser is playing with different modes of representation, pushing and pulling us between the real and the imagined. That slash of red, cutting across the composition, is so bold it feels almost violent! Moser was exploring similar themes around the Gesamtkunstwerk as Klimt, and I can’t help but think of Munch, too. These artists saw painting not just as representation, but as a way of exploring emotional and psychological states.