Danaë
1907 · Oil on canvas · 77 × 83 cm
Judith and the Head of Holofernes
1901 · Oil and gold on canvas · 84 × 42 cm
The Tree of Life
1909 · Oil on canvas · 195 × 102 cm
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I
1907 · Oil, silver, and gold on canvas · 138 × 138 cm
The Kiss
1908 · Oil and gold leaf on canvas · 180 × 180 cm
Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) was an Austrian Symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. He is celebrated for his richly decorative, gold-infused paintings of the human figure, particularly women. His work bridges the gap between traditional academic art and the modern movements of the 20th century.
His most iconic works include The Kiss (1907–1908), Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907), The Tree of Life (1909), Judith and the Head of Holofernes (1901), and Danaë (1907). Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I sold for $135 million in 2006, making it one of the most expensive paintings ever sold at the time.
Klimt's Golden Phase (approximately 1903–1909) refers to the period when he incorporated real gold leaf into his paintings, creating shimmering, mosaic-like surfaces. This technique, inspired by Byzantine mosaics he saw in Ravenna, Italy, produced his most famous works including The Kiss and Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I.
Klimt died on February 6, 1918, at the age of 55, in Vienna, Austria. He suffered a stroke in January 1918 that left him partially paralyzed, was hospitalized, and subsequently contracted pneumonia, which caused his death.
This page features public domain works by Gustav Klimt and is not managed by the artist.
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