Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) Austrian, Symbolist.
Klimt was born near Vienna, Austria, and showed early talent in the arts.
He attended the Vienna School of the Arts and Crafts and in 1888 received the Golden Order of Merit from Emperor Franz Josef I.
Klimt was a founding member of the Vienna Secession, an artists group dedicated to bringing great foreign art to Vienna and promoting the work of young and unconventional artists.
Klimt is famous for his use of gold.
During his Golden Phase he used both paint and gold leaf to create his patented look, a cross between Byzantine icons and modern Symbolism.
The Kiss is a classic and famous example, as is the portrait, Adele Bloch-Bauer, which sold in 2006 for $135 million.
His use of gold and color, spirals and swirls combine to create works like no others.
If his style was bold and unconventional, then Klimt’s subject matter was shocking and controversial.
His abashed use of the female form, eroticism and phallic imagery often caused his work to be labeled as pornographic and to stir scandal and public debate.
Klimt’s work has survived the test of time.
The Kiss, The Three Ages of Woman, and Judith, among many other works, are some of the most recognized pieces of art by modern audiences.
The intense passion conveyed in his work may have been unsettling to his contemporaries, but it is embraced by viewers of today.