Intemperance, Lust, & Lechery
Temperance
is defined as moderation of thought and action, sometimes specifically
in the indulgence of appetite, drink, and sex. Here Klimt symbolizes
intemperance as a woman with a swollen belly in the foreground. She
isn't pregnant because of her insouciant guise; instead, she is bloated
from food and drink.
Behind intemperance are two female figures representing
lust and lechery. Klimt paints these two figures naked,
one with a lusty smile, and the other in sexual bliss. |