“I have the gift of neither the spoken nor the written word, especially if I have to say

something about myself or my work. Whoever wants to know something about me -as an artist, the only notable thing-

ought to look carefully at my pictures and try and see in them what I am and what I

want to do.” ― Gustav Klimt

GUSTAV KLIMT

(1862–1918)

• Klimt’s early work was in the historical style popular among Vienna’s upper class and aristocracy at that time.

• Klimt’s Company of Artists was honored for their achievements in 1888 when they received the Golden Order of Merit in 1888.

THE GLOBE THEATRE IN LONDON, 1888, FRESCO

• In 1891, Gustav’s brother Ernst married a woman named Helene Flöge, and that same year, Gustav painted a portrait of her sister, Emilie for the first time. Gustav and Emilie began a lifelong friendship.

• The following year, both Gustav’s father and brother died. Following their passing, Klimt began to reject his conservative artistic training in favor of a more personal style.

EMILIE FLÖGE, AGED 17, 1891, PASTEL ON PAPER

KLIMT ADMIRED ART FROM CULTURES OF THE PAST. ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT EMPHASIZED…

Pattern, and…Line,

Texture

Look carefully at this landscape. Do you see the influence of:

• The graceful lines of Japanese prints?

• Repetitive patterns of Egyptian tomb paintings?

• The glittering texture of Byzantine mosaics?

FARMHOUSE WITH BIRCH TREES, 1903, OIL ON

CANVAS, 110 X 110 CM,

PORTRAIT OF ADELE BLOCH-BAUER, 1907, OIL ON CANVAS,

138 X 138 CM

• Adele Bloch-Bauer was the only person to be painted twice by Klimt.

• The painting was then sold at auction for $135 million dollars. , which at that time was the highest price paid at auction for a painting.

• The Kiss is probably Gustav Klimt’s most famous work.

• This painting was selected to be printed on the Austrian 100 euro coin, minted in 2003.

THE KISS, 1097, OIL ON CANVAS, 180 X 180 CM

“I have never painted a self-portrait. I am less interested in myself as a subject for painting than I am in other people, above all women.”

PORTRAIT OF EMILIE FLÖGE, 1902, OIL ON CANVAS, 178 X 80 CM

• How are these two portraits of Emilie Flöge similar?• How are they

different?

• The title of this work is “Expectation.”

• Does it look like this woman is expecting something to happen?

• What do you see that makes you say that?

• Klimt liked Egyptian art. What elements of this picture remind you of Egyptian art?

• Does anything about this painting remind you of the other kinds of art that Klimt admired? Byzantine mosaics? Japanese prints?

EXPECTATION, 1905-1909, WATERCOLOR ON PAPER, 193.5 X 115 CM

THE TREE OF LIFE, STOCLET FRIEZE, 1909

• What geometric shapes do you see in this painting?

• What do you think is the focal point of the painting?

• How does the artist draw your attention to the focal point?

BABY, 1917-1918,OIL ON CANVAS, 110.9 X 110.4 CM