Gustav Klimt Facts

1. Gustav Klimt was born in 1862, in a suburb of Vienna. His father, Ernst Klimt, was a gold engraver, and his mother, Anna Klimt, was an accomplished amateur artist. Klimt is known for his ornate, decorative style and for his use of gold leaf in his paintings.

2. Gustav Klimt died in 1918 in Vienna, at the age of 55 from pneumonia. He had two children, a son named Gustav and a daughter named Ernst. Both children were born to his companion, Emilie Flöge. After Klimt's death, his son Gustav inherited his father's artistic talent and went on to become a painter himself, while his daughter Ernst lived a private life.

3. Gustav Klimt began his artistic career as an apprentice to his father, but soon decided to pursue a career as a painter. He enrolled in the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts in 1876, where he studied under several prominent artists of the time, including Franz von Matsch and Christian Griepenkerl.

43. Gustav Klimt's early work was heavily influenced by the academic tradition, and he painted many portraits and historical scenes in a realistic style. However, he began to experiment with more decorative and symbolic elements in his work, and his style evolved over time.

5. One of Klimt's most famous works is The Kiss, which was completed in 1907-08. The painting depicts a couple locked in a passionate embrace, and is considered to be one of the most iconic examples of Art Nouveau.

6. Gustav Klimt was also a member of the Vienna Secession, a group of artists who broke away from the traditional academic art scene in Austria and formed their own collective. The group sought to promote a new style of art that was more expressive and individualistic, and Klimt was one of the most prominent members.

7. Gustav Klimt's work was heavily influenced by the Art Nouveau movement, which was popular in Europe at the time. He is known for his use of ornate, decorative elements and for his use of gold leaf in his paintings, which gave them a distinctive, opulent look.

8. Gustav Klimt's work was heavily influenced by the Art Nouveau movement, which was popular in Europe at the time. He is known for his use of ornate, decorative elements and for his use of gold leaf in his paintings, which gave them a distinctive, opulent look.

9. Klimt's work was not well received by the critics during his lifetime, but his reputation has grown in the years since his death. He is now considered to be one of the most important and influential artists of the Art Nouveau movement.

10. Gustav Klimt's work was also heavily influenced by his interest in mythology, and many of his paintings depict mythological scenes and characters. He was particularly interested in the female form, and his paintings often feature sensual, erotic elements.