Biography & Famous Gustav Klimt Paintings

These are the 12 most famous paintings by Gustav Klimt. Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) was an Austrian painter and the originator of the Vienna Secession school of art. He established his independent studio, focusing on the production of mural paintings. His artworks were recognized for their highly colorful designs and sensual characters, which were considered a reaction to the typical academic art of his day.

Gustav Klimt Summary:

• Klimt’s work usually depicted the female body with an air of eroticism.
• Despite being known for his allegories and decorative portraits, Klimt also painted landscapes.
• Japanese art and its methods had an impact on him.
• He found success at a very young age but still chose to reside with his family.
• He and other artists founded the Vienna Secession which gave young and unorthodox artists a platform to display their work.

Gustav Klimt Biography

Gustav Klimt was born in Baumgarten, near Vienna, which was then the capital of the Austrian Empire. He was the second of seven children. He attended a school for fine arts and crafts in Vienna and he experienced real poverty at this time.

Gustav painted with his brother and friend many murals that were very popular. As a young man, Klimt received a gold medal for his work on murals.  In 1892 his father and brother died, and he had to provide for his family. Their deaths marked a turning point in his art.

Klimt was one of the founding members Vienna Secession Group. This was a loose alliance of artists who wanted to challenge the political and artistic establishment.  Klimt lived with his mother, but this did not stop him from having many affairs and he is believed to have fathered up to 14 children.

Family

Klimt was very close to his mother Anna Klimt (née Finster), who had in her youth been a talented singer. His father Ernst Klimt Senior was a well-known goldsmith and engraver which certainly influenced his future use of gold in his art. Gustav’s younger brother was also a well-known artist.

Painting style

Gustav Klimt drew from the decorative arts in his work, which is often very detailed. He was innovative in his use of materials such as gold which he became famous for using. Klimt’s figures are often highly stylized.

He initially was a history painter, but he continued to refine his work until they are shimmering patterns that are almost abstract forms, best seen in his landscapes. Klimt painted many nudes and he was a master of erotic art.  Klimt’s paintings, with Judith and the Head of Holofernes being a great example, are often inlaid with gold leaf, especially during his so-called Golden Phase.

The artist often deliberately flattened his compositions and many of his works have often been likened to icons. These are often seen as critical of the hypocrisy of the Austrian Empire and its conservative values.

The Viennese painter also continued to paint historical paintings and images. Klimt was a symbolist and among his themes were the close relationship between love, death, and sex. The Viennese was famous in his time for his often-massive murals and friezes. Klimt was a master draughtsman and he left three massive folios of prints, that have proven to be immensely popular.

Education and influences

Klimt was educated at a school of applied arts and crafts called Vienna Kunstgewerbeschule, which is now a part of the University of Applied Arts Vienna. His father was a tremendous influence on his unique use of gold in his paintings.

Gustav Klimt’s First Major Work

His first major work was Idylls, a Neo-classical mural which he painted in 1884. It is now located at the Historical Museum of the City of Vienna in Austria. This work is highly symbolic and allegorical, we see a mother tending to her two young children in the center, with warm colors and tenderness, care. Outside of this we see two men in darker colors, looking away. Lifeless, cautious, angst.

Klimt would go on to paint approximately 200 major works of murals and paintings. He also created numerous drawings and objects.

Influence

Klimt was influenced by Austrian historical painters. His discovery of Byzantine art and its icons were crucial in his development as an artist.

Controversies

Many of Klimt’s works were considered obscene and his works were attacked by the Catholic Church. Many of his works were seized by the Nazis and taken from Jewish families. Many of these were only returned to their rightful owners after years of court cases as with the Altmann family.

Lost paintings

Several of Klimt’s murals and pubic paintings were lost during World War II as the Soviets advanced on Vienna in 1945. The murals ‘Philosophy’, ‘Medicine’, and ‘Jurisprudence’ were destroyed by the Nazis rather than allow them to fall into Russian hands.

Final painting

Klimt’s final masterpiece is thought to have been his Portrait of Friederike Maria Beer from 1917. The Austrian master left many paintings unfinished.

Later Life & Death

Klimt was very famous during his life and received many commissions.  He rarely socialized with other painters and led a quiet life. He had many affairs but was very discrete. Klimt won many international prizes. He lived in Vienna during World War I.

Gustav Klimt fell ill during the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918 which immediately followed World War 1 and he died of a stroke.  After his death, his reputation went into decline and it was only truly revived in the 1970s.

Sold paintings

In 2016 Klimt’s 1907 portrait, Adele Bloch-Bauer I, fetched $135 million dollars at auction. Many of his paintings command tens of millions in auctions. Even his drawings can fetch sums in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Legacy

Klimt was very supportive of younger artists.  In particular, he was a decisive influence on  Egon Schiele. The Austrian work was also influential in the evolution of the decorative arts. Many believe that the Austrian was a pioneer in the Art Nouveau movement.

Famous Paintings by Gustav Klimt

The Kiss (1908)

The Kiss is by far one of the most famous paintings by Gustav Klimt, if not the most famous of all. This is a painting of a couple kneeling in a patch of grass with wildflowers. It represents an erotic and spiritual love and relationship, while the rest of the painting dissolves into shimmery, extravagant plain color and pattern. “The Kiss” was a visual expression of the “fin-de-siecle spirit” because it captured a decadence conveyed by rich and sensual pictures.

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907)

This is a painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer, the wife of a rich businessman in Vienna, where Klimt lived and worked. It is also known as “Lady in Gold.” There are 2 formal paintings of Adele, painted by Klimt, who was an important patron of his. This is Klimt’s final and most finished work from his golden period.

Judith and the Head of Holofernes (1901)

This is a painting of the biblical character Judith holding Holofernes’ decapitated head. She is a prototypical femme fatale—a woman who derives pleasure from the seduction and subsequent destruction of men. Klimt was one of the first to depict Judith in this light. “Judith and the Head of Holofernes” evokes strong emotional reactions. This, one of the famous paintings by Gustav Klimt has become an icon.

Adele Bloch-Bauer II (1912)

This is the second painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer, the wife of a rich businessman in Vienna, where Klimt lived and worked. It is a simpler, more colorful oil on canvas work, whereas Adele Bloch-Bauer’s first version is the centerpiece of his opulent Gold Period style. Despite their stylistic differences, the two paintings share a turbulent history.

Italian Horticultural Landscape (1913)

This is a painting of a variety of brightly colored flowers interconnected with vegetation. The curve of the bush draws attention to a white building that is partially sticking out from behind a tree, establishing a sense of uncertainty. This painting was created in Art Nouveau, which is a modern style.

Flower Garden (1907)

This is a close-up painting of a flower garden with many different designs. “Flower Garden” is also known as “Bauerngarten.” A pyramidal structure gives form and shape to the intensity of patterning. An odd blue note is placed at the center of this composition to serve as a focal point among the color confusion.

Portrait of Fritza Riedler (1906)

This is a painting of a woman named Fritza Riedler, with an unknown narrative behind it. She is staring into the distance with her head slightly tilted. This masterpiece is a beautiful example of Klimt’s art nouveau style, with vibrant colors, bronzed materials, and a variety of patterns and textures. 

Portrait of a Lady (1917)

This is a painting of a young woman with whom Klimt is said to have had a relationship. It’s presented in a very vivid expressionistic style. This painting was an overpainting of Klimt’s lost work, “Portrait of a Young Lady” (in a Hat and with Scarf), which vanished in 1917.

Danaë (1908)

This is a painting of Dana, an Argive princess, who has her leg lifted. She was a representation of eternal love, transcendence, and breathtaking beauty. This painting is a classic example of Klimt’s stylized eroticism, which was a recurring theme and was inspired by Titian’s series of paintings by the same name. 

The Three Ages of Woman (1905)

This is a painting of three women who were real and recognizable women and not glorified nudists. “The Three Ages of Woman,” also known as “Mother and Child,” symbolizes the 3 major stages of a woman’s life: childhood, motherhood, and old age. The Three Ages of Woman was Klimt’s first significant oil painting and is now one of the most famous paintings by Gustav Klimt.

The Maiden (1913)

This painting depicts a young girl’s dreamy sensuality as she fantasizes about future possibilities in a dream state, surrounded by a patchwork quilt of women. This was one of Klimt’s final works before his death in 1918. He also left behind an incomplete painting called “The Bride,” which was supposed to be a companion piece to this painting.

Portrait of Emilie Flöge (1902)

This is a painting of Emilie Flöge, Klimt’s long-time companion. Her strong attitude, the attractive oval face surrounded by a mass of black, unruly curls, and sparkling blue eyes that meet the viewer directly provide an incandescent and fascinating sight. Every detail of this painting reflects Klimt’s and the historical period’s aesthetic perspective.

What famous paintings by Gustav Klimt do you think we should add to this list? Comment below.