Gustav Klimt professed that his identity was clearly revealed in his paintings and a careful observer could easily discern this. Without even bothering to paint a self-portrait, Klimt wanted art lovers and his fans to understand him through his monumental paintings on canvas. Gustav's unique style of portraiture, highlighting recurring themes on beauty and eroticism, continues to enthral artists and art lovers, and remains a strong inspiration throughout their lives.
Gustav Klimt, an Austrian Symbolist painter, was born on 14th July, 1862 in Vienna. His childhood was largely spent in great hardship with his parents, Ernst Klimt and Anna Klimt and siblings.
Klimt underwent training in architectural painting from Kunstgewerbeschule (Vienna School of Arts and Crafts) from 1876 to 1883. He started his career with painting interior murals and ceiling paintings for public buildings in Ringstrasse. In 1888, Klimt was honoured by Emperor Franz Josef of Austria for his outstanding performance in art. By 1892 Klimt was forced to take up the responsibility of the family after the sad demise of his father and brother. In 1897 he became the first president of 'Succession', an association formed to promote modern art.
At the age of thirty, Gustav Klimt started a studio independently and concentrated on easel painting on canvas. The blend of gold, silver, patterns of mosaics, floral designs and radiant colours make Gustav's canvases exceptional. Gustav Klimt was an expert portraitist of women. With his outstanding creativity, Gustav showed outstanding skill in portraying beautiful Viennese society ladies. His female portraits reveal his interest in women as sexual objects and his oil on canvas paintings reveal them in erotic positions. Judith I, The Kiss, and Danaë are noted for its female dominant expressions. These portraits of women display a sensitive realism along with the innate eroticism. Gaining inspiration from Egyptian, Byzantine, Classical Greek and Minoan styles, Klimt gave a very distinct appearance to his canvases. He maintained an aversion towards the old naturalistic styles of painting.
Beauty, eroticism, life and death were the themes that he expressed on canvas. Even though he gained considerable fame through his works, he had to face a number of controversies too. Through his Viennese art society, Klimt promoted the advancement of modern art. 'Hope I', one of the masterpieces of Klimt, represents a pregnant woman. The portrait on canvas displays a beautiful combination of linear designs in gold and tiny decorative works. The image was once displayed and withdrawn from the 18th exhibition of Succession due to disagreements on its explicit representation.
'Judith', one of his portraits, aroused strong opposition as he transferred this Biblical character into a canvas depicting a Viennese society lady. Ornamental touch in almost all the paintings is a noted feature of Klimt's portraits. Klimt's work gradually started to display a more decorative and symbolic style, when he started giving expression to more innovative ideas. His later works show an ejection of the old naturalistic styles and inclusion of more symbolic elements to convey psychological ideas.
Death and Life, The Virgin, Elisabeth Bachofen-Echt, and Baby are some of the famous canvases by Klimt. Some of his works are incomplete.
Gustav Klimt died in Vienna on 6th February, 1918, succumbing to pneumonia and stroke.
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