A waltz among flowers

As the middle class expanded in the 19th century, artistic tastes evolved. Floral paintings retained their decorative appeal but adopted softer colors and more intimate settings, often portraying flowers in comfortable homes or natural landscapes.

Ferdinand Georg Waldmuller, several of whose works are on display, became one of the pioneers of this shift, believing that art should faithfully reflect nature.

While Waldmuller often portrayed flowers flourishing vibrantly in nature, bathed in sunlight alongside other living things, he also placed them within narrative scenes that reflected social concerns.

One of his works on show, Poor Well-wishers, portrays a middle-class Viennese salon where guests offer blessings and receive coins in return, subtly highlighting social inequality. In Wreath Maker, a barefoot young woman quietly weaves a floral wreath outside her modest home. Her calm expression contrasts sharply with the dark, dilapidated interior behind her, underscoring the hardships of everyday life.

The Belvedere is perhaps best known for Gustav Klimt's iconic The Kiss. While Chinese audiences are familiar with his gilded portraits, this exhibition presents another side of the artist. The featured work, After the Rain, reflects Klimt's love of the countryside, where he spent his summers. Inspired by a trip in 1898, the painting depicts chickens pecking among wildflowers and trees shrouded in mist. Its softened forms and atmospheric brushwork capture the quiet freshness of a landscape after rainfall.