Gustav Klimt: A Biography

Klimt studied architectural painting, which focused on perspective, a drawing technique that creates the illusion of three dimensions. Some of Klimt’s early work reflects this, including the pillars and entablature visible in this detail from a mural in the Burgtheater Vienna.

Perfectly smooth skin, marble architecture, and ancient or historical subject matter (figures wearing togas) are characteristics of the Academic style of art. Klimt excelled at this realistic, elevated style and showcased it in much of his early work. 

This ode to the Greek god of wine sits over one of the grand staircases in the theatre lobby. The style is fully in the Academic tradition. But the models’ sleepy gazes and the gold jewellery and shield hint at Klimt’s later style.

Gustav’s brother Ernst was a great talent in his own right. Gustav even painted his brother (and Franz Matsch) in portrait as audience members of Romeo and Juliet. Tragically, Ernst died young, the same year as their father, 1892, devastating Gustav and changing his art forever.

The Faculty paintings consisted of three works: Philosophy, Medicine, and Jurisprudence. Rather than the Academic style, with historical costumes and idealized figures, Klimt painted people in torturous or sexual poses. They seemed suspended in an unsettling empty space. 

Controversy erupted when Klimt displayed the Faculty paintings. Some critics hated their dark nature. Others praised their daring. The University never displayed them. Klimt returned his commission. The paintings were lost during World War II; few photos and sketches survive. At the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, he won the gold medal for Philosophy.

During the Secession period, Klimt’s art changed radically. Influenced by Japanese art, he composed with flat shapes and patterns. He became especially known for using gold leaf, seen here in a detail from the Beethoven Frieze, 1902.

Flöge was a feminist fashion designer, businesswoman, and prominent figure in the Austrian art and cultural scenes. Letters between the pair suggest an intimate and respectful relationship. However, they never married, and Klimt fathered children with several other women.

Some of Flöge’s fashions included “rational dress,” garments designed for comfort and worn without stiff corsets. Flöge and Klimt influenced each other’s use of pattern and shape. Klimt’s artistic and personal fancy for flowing robes might also have influences here.

At this time, Klimt developed his signature style, often painting reclining female nudes enfolded by companions and brightly patterned fabric. The background is flat but richly textured. Colours, facial expressions, and figures represent symbols of life, death, love, and connection. 

One of Klimt’s most notable artistic techniques was his use of gold leaf. He applied it in various textures to form shimmering patterns. He often used gold leaf in contrast with the skin of his female nudes, which he frequently painted in cool, pale shades.

Klimt was commissioned to create dining-room wall hangings. He no longer took public commissions, but this project allowed him to keep complete creative control.

The mansion is private and the art works are not open to the public. These drawings, complete with corrections (in white) and written instructions, give a sense of the finished work. These drawings were eventually reproduced as mosaics, using mother-of-pearl, enamel, and gold leaf. They are some of Klimt’s largest works.  

Much of the mosaic is a semi-abstract pattern of spiralling tree branches. This reflects Byzantine, Egyptian, and Japanese art, each of which emphasized rich patterns. At one end is a characteristic Klimt embracing couple, with the man wearing a Japanese kimono.

Klimt’s later years were some of his most productive. His style was praised and sought after throughout Europe. Klimt enjoyed a comfortable life surrounded by family and friends. He spent many hours at his studios in the city. Sadly, Gustav Klimt’s life was cut short by illness.

The garden outside the studio served as a retreat. It reflected the sense of comfort, decoration, and beauty he expressed in his art.

Klimt’s interest in Asian prints, with their flattened figures and richly patterned garments, is evident in his studio. Klimt himself is quoted as saying he sometimes skipped painting sessions in favour of reading books about Asian art in his garden.

In 1918, Klimt suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. The stroke itself was not life-threatening, but while in the hospital, he contracted pneumonia, possibly related to the 1918 flu pandemic. The illness killed him on February 6, at the age of 55.