The Kiss

Posted on September 25, 2026

When I was seventeen I put together a 1,000-piece puzzle of a painting by Gustav Klimt. Years later, noticing a coworker pinning up Klimt's prints in her cubicle, I made an official office birthday card with a Klimt painting for her. A few years ago I bought a book on Klimt, barely read it, accidentally got it wet, and sold it for $10.

I had passing familiarity with his work.

So it was a surprise to me when I saw The Kiss in person. I didn't know Klimt had layered it with gold leaf, which made it shimmer as you moved around the room. It was a still image that was alive.

I took a lot of photos. I took videos. I walked in and out of the crowds to look at it from every angle.

I left the room. I came back. I took more photos. I knew they wouldn't work. I took them anyway.