Circular halo/fan Symbolism

Iconic aura that elevates the sitter to an almost sacred, emblematic presence; also hints at Japoniste fan forms and Byzantine icons.

Common Themes

The divine & the sacredThe modern lens: urban life & speedMimesis vs. abstraction (truth vs. artifice)Originality, authorship, and appropriationGender & sexualityFashion & adornmentLabor & work

Artworks Featuring This Symbol

Emilie Flöge by Gustav Klimt

Emilie Flöge

Gustav Klimt (1902)

Gustav Klimt’s Emilie Flöge stages a modern identity as a work of <strong>design</strong> as much as portraiture: a columnar figure, hand on hip, radiates self-possession within a field of spirals, dots, and gold squares. The circular, flowered fan behind the head acts as a <strong>modern halo</strong>, collapsing depth and elevating presence in the Secessionist spirit of the <strong>Gesamtkunstwerk</strong> <sup>[1]</sup><sup>[2]</sup>.