Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Max Klinger died in 1920; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1990.
In context
The source — Max Klinger
Row above: the year. Row below: the artist's age in that year.
Shaded: the lifetime of Max Klinger (1857–1920)
This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: wikioo.org/en/art/similar/max-klinger-the-source-8LT23K-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Rosy Brown #9f9f9f
Catalogued palette
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 46.5% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 267 works by this artist, of which 55 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 10 of them, with 3.0% of that attention.
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Leipzig, Germany
Max Klinger, born in Leipzig in 1857, emerged as a pivotal figure bridging the gap between Realism and the burgeoning world of Symbolism. His artistic journey wasn’t one of immediate recognition but rather a gradual unfolding of a unique vision—a descent into the psychological depths that would profoundly influence modern art. Klinger's early training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe, under Karl Gussow, provided him with a solid foundation in traditional techniques, yet it was his fascination with the etchings of artists like Menzel and Goya that truly ignited his imagination. These masters demonstrated the power of printmaking to convey not merely visual representation but also narrative complexity and emotional intensity—qualities Klinger would masterfully employ throughout his career. He wasn’t content simply to depict the world as it appeared; he sought to unveil its hidden currents, its anxieties, and its dreams.
Klinger’s artistic evolution was marked by a deliberate shift away from straightforward realism towards a more subjective and symbolic language. Initially, his work reflected the prevailing aesthetic of the time—detailed depictions of everyday life. However, this phase proved merely a stepping stone. The turning point came with his series of etchings, Paraphrase on the Finding of a Glove (1881). This ambitious project, comprising ten plates, wasn’t a literal illustration of an event but rather a fragmented, dreamlike exploration of desire, loss, and the complexities of human relationships. The glove itself became a potent symbol—a relic imbued with memory and longing. This series established Klinger as a leading voice in the Symbolist movement, demonstrating his ability to transform ordinary objects into vehicles for profound psychological insight. He wasn’t interested in simply showing what things looked like; he wanted to convey what they felt like, what they represented on a deeper, more subconscious level.
Klinger's artistic output was remarkably diverse, encompassing painting, sculpture, and printmaking—though it’s arguably in the realm of graphic arts that he achieved his most enduring legacy. His prints are characterized by their meticulous technique, dramatic use of light and shadow, and haunting imagery. He wasn’t afraid to tackle challenging themes—mortality, sexuality, and the darker aspects of the human psyche. Beyond Paraphrase on the Finding of a Glove, works like his depictions of Faustian bargains and mythological scenes reveal a fascination with archetypal narratives and universal human struggles. His sculptural work, though less prolific than his prints, was equally ambitious. A prime example is his monumental installation in homage to Beethoven at the Vienna Secession in 1902—a powerful testament to the composer’s genius and a bold statement of artistic innovation. Klinger's sculptures were often deliberately unsettling, challenging conventional notions of beauty and form.
Max Klinger’s influence extended far beyond his own lifetime. He paved the way for Expressionism, Surrealism, and other avant-garde movements that sought to explore the inner world of human experience. His emphasis on symbolism, psychological depth, and subjective interpretation resonated with artists grappling with the anxieties and uncertainties of the modern age. The artist’s exploration of dreamlike states and subconscious desires anticipated the work of later Surrealists like Salvador Dalí and René Magritte. Even in more recent times, Klinger's ideas continue to inspire contemporary artists. In 1991, the Moscow art collective Inspection Medical Hermeneutics created “Klinger’s Boxes,” an installation directly inspired by his work—a testament to the enduring power of his vision. He remains a crucial figure in understanding the transition from 19th-century academic traditions to the radical experimentation of the 20th century. His art invites us to confront our own shadows, to delve into the mysteries of the human psyche, and to recognize the profound beauty that can be found even in the darkest corners of existence.
Beyond the celebrated Paraphrase on the Finding of a Glove, Klinger’s oeuvre boasts numerous significant pieces. Paintings like “Karl Haberstock,” showcasing his influence on fellow artists, and works reflected in collections at Kunstsammlungen und Museen Augsburg demonstrate his broad impact. His monochrome photographs, such as "Days Of March III," with their intriguing UFO sightings, reveal a willingness to embrace the unconventional and explore the boundaries of perception. Klinger’s art isn't merely historical; it remains strikingly relevant today. In an era defined by uncertainty and rapid change, his exploration of psychological themes—anxiety, alienation, and the search for meaning—continues to resonate with audiences worldwide. His legacy is a reminder that true artistic innovation lies not in simply replicating reality but in revealing its hidden depths and challenging our preconceived notions about the world around us.
wikioo.org/en/art/download/max-klinger-the-source-8LT23K-en/
Look closely
The source — Max Klinger
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
"The source" by Max Klinger is in the public domain - its copyright has expired. Copyright duration runs from the artist's death, which occurred in 1920.
You can order a hand-painted reproduction of "The source" by Max Klinger directly on this page: a hand-painted oil reproduction on linen canvas, made to order.
"The source" by Max Klinger has a gentle luminance luminance. Luminance describes how much light the colors appear to reflect.
"The source" by Max Klinger shows a monochromatic color intensity.
"The source" is available as a fine art print on cotton canvas or archival canvas paper. Orders are placed on this page, in the size of your choice.
The X-Ray page of "The source" by Max Klinger is an interactive viewer that lets you slide through eleven optical layers of the artwork's image, including an X-ray style view.
The artist behind "The source" is Max Klinger. The work is catalogued under Max Klinger's name.