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Gustav Klimt is closely associated with this world-famous institution, given the scope, representative character, and quality of the Albertina inventory, as well as the decades of research into his complete drawing œuvre. The Klimt collection includes around 170 drawings, acquired through purchases, donations, a comprehensive takeover of inventory, and a one-time fundraising campaign. The in-house Klimt collection is supplemented by around 30 works that have been presented to the Albertina Museum from various sources as permanent loans.
Seated Seminude (Study for "Judith II") (c.1908) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Thalia and Melpomene (1898) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Portrait of a Lady with Cape and Hat (c. 1897-1898) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Lady with Plumed Hat (1908) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Some of the spectacular acquisitions from the Albertina's own resources include single sheets such as "Seated Semi-Nude (Study for 'Judith II´ [´Salome´])," as well as "Thalia and Melpomene," "Portrait of a Lady with Cape and Hat," and "Lady with a Plumed Hat".
Man in Three-Quarter View (Study for "Shakespeare's Globe Theatre", Burgtheater Vienna) (1886-1887) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Standing Woman with Wrap (Study for the portrait "Margarethe Stonborough-Wittgenstein") (1904) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Woman Standing Facing Front with Both Hands on Her Waist (Study for the portrait "Serena Lederer") (1898-1899) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Within the Abertina's own acquisitions the series of studies for decorating the Burgtheater as well as for the portraits of Serena Lederer and Margaret Stonborough-Wittgenstein are particularly significant.
Standing Woman, Wrappes in Sheets (Study for the portrait "Ria Munk III") (c. 1917) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Two Composition Sketches for "The Three Gorgons" of the "Beethoven Frieze" (1901) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Noteworthy donations include the study for the portrait "Ria Munk III" (donated in 1920 by famous art dealer Otto Kallir/Nirenstein) as well as the total of 11 studies for the "Beethoven Frieze" (donated in 1988 by Elisabeth Lederer, widow of Erich Lederer, a former friend of Klimt).
Floating Woman with Outstretched Arm (Study for the first version of "Medicine") (c. 1900-1901) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Face of a Woman with Her Hands at Her Cheek (Study for "Jurisprudence") (1903) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
A total of 37 drawings have been submitted to the Albertina Museum by the Belvedere as a result of the comprehensive Museum's reorganization in 1923. These include the extensive series of studies for the faculty paintings "Philosophy," "Medicine," and "Jurisprudence," and for "The Three Ages of Woman".
Klimt's working drawings for the cartoons of the ceiling panels in the Burgtheater (1886/87) were only uncovered in the 1990s. After their restoration, the six works in total were permanently displayed in the Angelika Prokopp Foyer of the Burgtheater. According to a decree of the Republic of Austria, all working drawings by Klimt and his colleagues created for the Burgtheater became the property of the Albertina Museum 2019.
Preliminary Drawing for "Allegory of Sculpture" (1889) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
The acquisition of the spectacular preparatory work for "The Allegory of Sculpture" (1889) came about by virtue of donations from the Austrian and international art trade—as thanks for the Albertina Museum's scientific assistance in Klimt-related questions—as well as the support of the "Friends of the Albertina Museum".
Standing Pair of Lovers, Seen from the Side (1907-1908) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Portrait of a Lady Wearing a Fur (Study for "Girlfriends II") (1916-1917) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Silver Fish (Nymphs) (c. 1899) by Gustav KlimtAlbertina Museum
Noteworthy examples from the long-term loan group include "Standing Lovers in Side View," "Portrait of a Lady with a Folded Coat," and "Silverfish".
Since the early 1960s, the complete drawings of Gustav Klimt have been continuously researched, published, and exhibited in the Albertina Museum. Vice-Director Alice Strobl carried out this pioneering work and published the 4-volume catalogue raisonné of his almost 4,000 drawings between 1980 and 1989—a milestone in Klimt research. In 1990, she transferred this task to former assistant Marian Bisanz-Prakken, who has since been able to collect well over 400 new sheets.
The ALBERTINA Museum, Vienna
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