Tree of Life

A copy of this picture is now hanging in our bedroom, a little too high in fact, but at least it's up on the wall. It's been sitting in my room for months so I'm stoked for it to finally be a hanging picture, rather than a sitting one. The picture is a print of Gustav Klimt's "Tree of Life", and has many different things going on...which is why I love it.

The Explanation - sorry it's long:
If you'll notice the figure on the right is actually two figures - a woman being held and hugged by a man. You see the woman's face and the man's back. The woman is more simple looking. On the other side of the painting is a woman looking over her shoulder at the couple. She is much more done-up, with make-up on her face and her hair done. She looks kinda Egyptian. I think what I love most is the underlying dynamic. The Egyptian woman looks beautiful and alluring, but she is alone - watching the man embrace the woman - and she does it in this jealous, however longing way by looking over her shoulder as if to say "Humph! Why don't I have that!? Why does she?! I'M beautiful!" I feel like she characterizes the sin of jealousy and longing in each woman to be with a man. As far as the other woman, she has this restfulness to her: her eyes are closed, her head just lies on his shoulder...she just stops fretting and being anxious in his arms. I think, for me, it symbolizes how we can rest in the arms of those we love...God, a husband, a wife, a friend...but we all want that which is why the Egyptian is staring. In between them is this big tree which Klimt calls the "Tree of Life", and this painting contains two distinct phases of life - which Klimt labels "fulfillment" and "expectation"....so appropriate...I really like this painting!