Le Stagioni
1882
Ernst Klimt, the lesser-known brother of the famous Gustav Klimt, created these four charming vignettes representing the seasons back in 1882. Each square features a chubby cherub engaging in activities symbolic of the time of year: one holds flowers for spring, another harvests wheat for summer, a third balances a cup and grapes for autumn, and the last warms itself by a fire for winter. The stark contrast of the light figures against the deep black backgrounds gives these academic drawings a dramatic, almost theatrical feel.