Gustav Klimt – The Kiss

Detailed ratings

In-depth review analysis

LEGO Art 31221 takes on a particularly recognisable work, Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss. The three selected reviews respond favourably to its translation into bricks, but their assessments focus on complementary aspects: the inventiveness of the build at Brickset.com, the variety of the experience at Bouwsteentjes.info, and the way the model evokes the original at zusammengebaut. Together, they describe a display piece whose appeal lies not only in the finished image but also in the way that image takes shape.

Construction begins with the frame and develops in layers. Bouwsteentjes.info, which had feared that such a large model would be awkward to handle during assembly, appreciates not having to lay out the entire frame before working on the picture. The progression through layers and patterns provides welcome breaks from repetitive actions. The site describes a large result intended to hang on a wall, and considers that the changes between panels, techniques and subject contribute to the enjoyment of building it.

Brickset.com draws a clear distinction between the background and the central couple. Setting up the frame and the top layer recalls painting by numbers: this part is not difficult and can become tedious. The lovers, by contrast, consist of separate subassemblies whose instructions sometimes take unexpected directions. The treatment of the woman’s face and the assembly of the different parts of the couple illustrate the model’s ingenuity, according to the review. The man’s head, neck and arm are added last. These techniques make Brickset.com want to experience that part of the build again, while acknowledging that taking the set apart would be difficult.

The reservations about repetition therefore do not overturn the reviewers’ overall appreciation of the build. Bouwsteentjes.info also finds the background somewhat monotonous, but considers that the variations in construction compensate for this weakness. Brickset.com describes an experience that is both great fun and, at times, fiddly and laborious. Zusammengebaut focuses on the satisfaction of seeing the composition emerge progressively, segment by segment. Its reviewer notes, however, that this is their first set in the Art range, so their judgement of the building experience is not based on direct comparison with earlier models.

Visually, Brickset.com praises the striking display, the use of metallic pieces and the three-dimensional effect. The review nevertheless notes that some facial details are missing. It also observes that the garden and vines are shortened compared with the artwork and regards this as a sensible choice for the building experience. Zusammengebaut, whose reviewer knows the original displayed at the Belvedere, considers that the model captures its atmosphere while offering an interpretation of its own. The site highlights the colours and the creative use of parts. Bouwsteentjes.info appreciates the techniques used to recreate shapes and small pictorial gestures.

The accompanying material receives less extensive attention. Brickset.com considers the instruction design excellent and says that the booklet provides information about Klimt and the Belvedere. The podcast includes conversations with a museum curator and the model’s designer; aspects of the LEGO design are discussed in the final half-hour. Zusammengebaut notes that the set contains neither stickers nor minifigures and particularly regrets the absence of a Klimt minifigure.

On price, zusammengebaut gives a very favourable assessment of value for money, but the excerpts from the other two reviews do not provide enough comparable personal reasoning to extend that judgement. Likewise, the weight reported by Bouwsteentjes.info and the difficulty of disassembly mentioned by Brickset.com are not tests of strength or durability. Sturdiness therefore remains unrated. Overall, this is a reproduction admired for its dimensional effect and inventive construction, provided the buyer accepts repetitive sections and some simplification of the facial details.

Strengths

• Inventive techniques for building the couple and recreating shapes
• Appreciated dimensional effect and use of metallic pieces
• Varied progression through layers and segments
• Praised instructions and a booklet providing context for the artwork

Weaknesses

• Repetitive background and some fiddly or tedious stages
• Some facial details are missing
• Zusammengebaut regrets the absence of a Klimt minifigure
• Long-term durability is not documented

Publications consulted

Brickset.com · Date not provided

Bouwsteentjes.info · Date not provided

zusammengebaut · 2026-07-16