Black-and-white squares/rectangles Symbolism

Masculine, rational order and structure; complement to the organic forms.

Common Themes

The divine & the sacredBliss/rapture & ecstasyMedium reflexivity (art about art)Romantic loveMortality & transience (memento mori)Seasons & cyclesGender & sexuality

Artworks Featuring This Symbol

Fulfillment by Gustav Klimt

Fulfillment

Gustav Klimt (1910–1911 (cartoon); mosaic installed by 1911)

Klimt’s Fulfillment fuses two lovers into a single, radiant figure set before the spiraling <strong>Tree of Life</strong>, turning private embrace into a <strong>sacral consummation</strong>. Patterned robes—ovals, eyes, and flowers against black‑and‑white rectangles—stage a union of <strong>feminine/masculine energies</strong> within a golden, eternal field <sup>[1]</sup><sup>[3]</sup>.