Gustav Klimt the Draftsman

Gustav Klimt holds a unique position worldwide as a phenomenal draftsman. At the center of his more than 4,000 sheets of drawings is the human figure—especially the female figure.

From 1900 onward, he revolutionized the depiction of the naked figure. His refined erotic studies were groundbreaking for the way the Austrian Expressionists, especially Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka, depicted people free of taboos.

But Klimt also paved the way for his younger colleagues through his allegorical figure studies for "The Suffering of Weak Humanity".

Klimt strictly followed his own tradition of creating series of drawings of naked or clothed models. Numerous studies of men and women of all ages as well as children emerged within the context of his painted life allegories.

By tirelessly focusing on the poses and gestures of his figures, he uncovers the essence of certain emotions or existential situations. As if in a trance, his figures tied to the picture plane seem to follow an invisible sense of order, whether they are dreaming, meditating, or in a state of erotic ecstasy.

Behind this method of depiction is the idea of humanity's fateful connection with the cycle of life, determined by Eros, Love, Birth, and Death.

His many studies for female portraits also convey the impression of being majestically detached from reality.

Klimt's figures are in equal measure sensual and transcendent. Characteristic of his line art is the the subtle balance between effortlessness and discipline. His masterful handling of line reveals itself through every phase of his development as a draftsman. In the 1880s, it was characterized by photo-realistic precision.

Around 1900, he developed a flowing, linear style.

The drawings of his Golden Style period are dominated by a metallic, linear sharpness.

In his later years, Klimt's lines exhibit a nervousness of expression.

Klimt's drawings are a world apart. Through the immediacy of their expression, they provide deep insights into the working methods and spiritual world of the artist.