Seated Lady with Ornamented Cape in Profile from the Left

The abundant collection of preserved drawings by Klimt is testament to how important serial drawing was for the artist. In countless drawings, Klimt tried to reach clarity about the poses, proportions, and expressions of his predominantly female models. According to his contemporaries, papers filled his studio several meters high. However, not all sketches were meant to serve as preliminary studies. Initially, he worked with black conté chalk, which enabled him to create expressive light and dark effects. His switch to pencil on Japanese paper in 1903/04 prompted a distinctive change in his drawing style. The identity of the woman with the unique profile is unknown. Klimt added dense pencil lines to the edges of her attire, which allowed the figure to protrude from the space. Decorative swirls and the highlight of the white dress are deliberately set in contrast to the face, amplifying its elegance and grace using a minimum of graphic means.