Damon Mcknight
Austria has a rich history of art and culture, with many renowned painters hailing from the country. From the great masters of the past to the emerging talents of today, Austrian painters have left an indelible mark on the world of art. So, who is your favourite Austrian painter? Is it someone who is famous for their traditional landscapes or someone who pushes the boundaries of modern art?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Gustav Klimt |
| Birth Date and Place | July 14, 1862, Vienna, Austria |
| Death Date and Place | February 6, 1918, Vienna |
| Education | Vienna School of Decorative Arts |
| Notable Works | The Kiss, Adele Bloch-Bauer I, Hope, II, Beethoven Frieze, Fritza Riedler |
| Art Movement | Art Nouveau, Vienna Sezession |
| Art Style | Decorative, Ornamental, Classical |
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What You'll Learn
Gustav Klimt's early work
Gustav Klimt is one of the most famous modern artists, with several of his paintings and drawings sold for record prices. Klimt was born in 1862 in Baumgarten, near Vienna, in the Austrian Empire (now Austria-Hungary). He was the second of seven children and lived in poverty while attending the Vienna Kunstgewerbeschule, a school of applied arts and crafts. Klimt studied architectural painting from 1876 to 1883 and, in 1879, co-founded an "artist-company" with his brother Ernst and fellow student Franz Matsch. The company specialised in creating wall and ceiling paintings and received its first assignments from the architectural firm Fellner & Helmer, which needed curtains and ceiling paintings for the theatre buildings it was constructing throughout the monarchy.
Klimt's early works include studies of male nude models, which were an important part of his painting education at the School of Applied Arts. In the late 1880s and early 1890s, Klimt created portraits with an astounding level of realism, demonstrating his artistry and technical painting expertise. Around the mid-1890s, he produced several male portraits with loose brush strokes and a soft, diffuse application of colour, marking the beginning of a new stylistic painting technique that would become typical of his later portraits. Klimt's early works also include ceiling paintings in the stairwells of the Burgtheater, for which he created precisely executed sheets with sensitive depictions of the human figure.
In 1891, Klimt met Austrian fashion designer Emilie Louise Flöge, who was to be his companion until the end of his life. He designed many costumes that she modelled in his works, including, perhaps, his famous painting "The Kiss" (1907-1908), which is thought to be an image of them as lovers. Klimt also included Nuda Veritas (naked truth) as a symbolic figure in some of his works from this period, including "Ancient Greece and Egypt" (1891), "Pallas Athene" (1898), and "Nuda Veritas" (1899). Historians believe that Klimt used the Nuda Veritas figure to denounce the policies of the Habsburgs and Austrian society, which ignored the political and social problems of the time.
Around the turn of the century, starting in 1897, Klimt began to transition to his trademark style, combining Orientalism, Art Nouveau, and Byzantine influences. He became known as a painter of women, creating about one large-format portrait of a woman per year, in which he applied the principles of Art Nouveau—flatness, decoration, and gold leaf application. Klimt's work was often marked by a frank eroticism, and he transformed his depictions of Old Testament heroines into dangerous "femmes fatales", interpreting eros, sexuality, and femininity as an alluring danger.
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Klimt's use of gold leaf
One of my favourite Austrian painters is Gustav Klimt, who is known for his extensive use of gold leaf in his paintings, marking his most successful and recognisable period, the Golden Phase. Klimt's use of gold leaf is a defining feature of his work during this period, lasting about a decade from 1898 to 1911. The artist's innovative approach to this precious material and his unique style have earned him a permanent place in art history.
Klimt's early works during this phase, such as "Pallas Athene" (1898) and "Judith I", showcase his bold incorporation of gold leaf. In "Pallas Athene", the Greek goddess Athena is depicted in armour, with gold accents enhancing her majestic presence. Similarly, in "Judith I", the biblical figure Judith is surrounded by decorative designs and set against a gold background, with gold leaf contributing to the overall richness of the composition.
The painting "Hope, II" (1907-1908) is another exemplary work from Klimt's Golden Phase. In this piece, a pair of lovers kneel in a flower meadow, their earthly surroundings contrasted by a cosmic golden background. Klimt's use of gold leaf in this painting is particularly inventive, with the gold taking on decorative forms such as the robes of the lovers, creating a transcendental effect that seems to lift them from their earthly existence.
Klimt's mastery in using gold leaf is also evident in his work "Life is a Struggle (Golden Rider)" (1903). The painting depicts a knight in full armour, riding along a path, with the magnificent armour and the horse's bridle shimmering with gold leaf. The artist's use of gold in this composition adds to the sense of opulence and historical character of the figure.
In addition to his paintings, Klimt also applied his innovative use of gold leaf in designing frames for his artworks. For example, the frame for his painting "Judith" is covered at the top with gilded metal, enhancing the overall golden character of the artwork. Klimt's attention to detail and his ability to incorporate gold in various aspects of his compositions showcase his dedication to his craft.
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The Vienna Sezession movement
The Vienna Secession, also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or the Vereinigung Bildender Künstler Österreichs, was an art movement closely related to Art Nouveau that emerged in 1897. The movement was founded by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects, including Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffman, Joseph Maria Olbrich, Max Kurzweil, Wilhelm Bernatzik, and Otto Wagner.
The Vienna Secession arose from the breaking away of younger and more radical artists from existing academies or art groups, seeking to establish their own artistic community with a forward-thinking and internationalist perspective. They aimed to transcend the boundaries of traditional artistic styles and create a "total art" that unified painting, architecture, and the decorative arts. This movement took inspiration from the Munich Secession movement founded in 1892 and led by Max Liebermann.
The first architectural project of the Vienna Secession was the creation of an exhibition space to introduce international artists and art movements to Vienna. Joseph Maria Olbrich, a student of Otto Wagner, designed the exhibit space, which became a symbol of the movement. The building featured a domed gallery, a sculptural frieze over the entrance, and a minimal white façade contrasted by a dome adorned with gilded laurel leaves, symbolizing purity, victory, and dignity. This space served as the first dedicated gallery of contemporary art in the city and played a pivotal role in exposing the Viennese public to diverse artistic styles.
The Vienna Secessionists also published an official magazine called "Ver Sacrum" (Latin for "Sacred Spring"), which became a platform for publishing highly stylized and influential works of graphic art. They contributed significantly to the development of graphic design, pushing its aesthetic boundaries through their exhibition posters, layouts, and illustrations. The group's work extended across various fields, including medicine, music, and philosophy, reflecting their aspiration to integrate art into all aspects of life.
The Vienna Secession's influence extended beyond Vienna, impacting the cultural life of the broader region and influencing subsequent artistic movements. Despite internal divisions and the departure of prominent members like Klimt, Wagner, and Hoffmann in 1905, the Vienna Secession continues to function today, holding regular exhibitions in the Secession Hall.
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The Beethoven Frieze
One of my favourite Austrian painters is Gustav Klimt. In 1902, Klimt painted the Beethoven Frieze for the Fourteenth Vienna Secession exhibition, celebrating the 75th anniversary of composer Ludwig van Beethoven's death. The painting was displayed alongside a monumental polychrome sculpture by Max Klinger.
The frieze depicts a monumental allegory and is considered one of Klimt's key works. It follows a description of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which Wagner published in 1846. The frieze also illustrates the words of Friedrich Schiller, set to music by Beethoven in the symphony's final chorus. The left side of the frieze begins with genii floating towards a knight, driving him to champion the driving force: happiness. The middle panel displays personified threats to the striving individual, such as lust and sexuality, and the feared consequence of syphilis. The frieze's symbolism was explained in detail to the original public through a published exhibition brochure.
The frieze was painted directly onto the walls with light materials, intended only for the exhibition. In 1903, art collector Carl Reininghaus acquired the Klimt's Beethoven Frieze to prevent its destruction after the 14th Vienna Secession. Over ten years, Manfred Koller of the Austrian Federal Monuments Office restored the work. In 1985, the piece was permanently loaned to the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, which has publicly displayed it since 1986.
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Klimt's work during World War II
Gustav Klimt is one of Austria's most renowned artists, whose paintings have brought some of the highest prices ever recorded for individual works of art. Klimt's work was often criticized for its radical themes and material, which diverged from the Academic style favoured by the Austrian Artists' Society. His paintings were considered pornographic and deeply offensive to the general public.
During World War II, Nazi looting led to the destruction of many of Klimt's prized works. This included the "Faculty Paintings", consisting of three works: Philosophy, Medicine, and Jurisprudence. These paintings were commissioned to decorate the ceiling of the Great Hall of the University of Vienna. Klimt's works were criticized for their dark nature and sexual poses, and the University never displayed them. Klimt returned his commission fee and bought the paintings back. By the end of World War II, all three had found their way into the hands of the Nazis. In May 1945, German forces burned Schloss Immendorf, destroying the Faculty Paintings, along with another ten paintings, including Schubert at the Piano, Girlfriends (or Two Women Friends), and Wally (portrait).
In addition to the Faculty Paintings, several other works by Klimt were looted or seized by the Nazis during World War II. This includes the "Beethoven Frieze", which was one of the first art collections seized by the Nazis in 1938. The frieze was owned by the Lederer family before being looted and was later subject to an export ban, preventing it from leaving Austria. Other paintings seized by the Nazis include "Adele Bloch Bauer I" (1907), which was returned to the heirs of its original Jewish owners, and "Apple Tree II" (1916), which was restituted to the heirs of its original Jewish owners in 1999.
In recent years, there have been efforts to restitute Klimt's Nazi-seized works to their rightful owners. In 2009, the Lentos Art Museum in Linz, Austria, restituted Klimt's "Portrait of Ria Munk III" to the heirs of Aranka Munk, a Jewish art collector who was murdered in the Holocaust. Additionally, the French Minister of Culture announced in 2021 that the only Klimt in France's national collections was Nazi loot and should be restituted to the heirs of a persecuted Jewish family.
Thanks to artificial intelligence, researchers have been able to restore historical images of Klimt's destroyed paintings, offering viewers a glimpse into the lush greens, blues, pinks, and golds that characterized his work.
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Frequently asked questions
Gustav Klimt is my favorite Austrian painter. His work is known for its lush sensuality and decorative patterns, as seen in his famous paintings like "The Kiss" and "Adele Bloch-Bauer I."
Klimt's mature style emerged in 1897, characterized by a revolt against academic art. He favored a highly decorative approach similar to Art Nouveau, using bold colors, gold leaf, and flat ornamental patterns to accentuate the human figure.
Klimt's notable works include "The Kiss" (1908-1909), "Hope, II" (1907-1908), and "Adele Bloch-Bauer I" (1907). He also painted murals, such as those in the University of Vienna auditorium and the dining room of the Stoclet House in Brussels.
Klimt's paintings can be found in various museums and galleries, including the Belvedere Museum and the Österreichische Gallery in Vienna, as well as the Museum of Modern Art and the Neue Galerie in New York City.
Yes, another notable Austrian painter is Siegfried L. Kratochwil (1916-2005).
