Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt (1862 –1918) was an Austrian Symbolist painter and one of

the most prominent members of the

Vienna Secession movement. His major

works include paintings, murals,

and sketches.

In 1876, Klimt was awarded a scholarship to the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts, where he studied until 1883, and received training as an architectural painter. Klimt began his professional career painting interior murals

and ceilings in large public buildings.

The Tree of Life, Stoclet Frieze, 1909

Vienna Secession

Klimt became one of the founding members and president of the Vienna Secession in 1897. The group's goals were to provide exhibitions for unconventional young

artists, to bring the best foreign artists' works to

Vienna, and to publish its own magazine to showcase

members' work.

In 1903 Klimt traveled to Italy and discovered wonderful wall-sized scenes made from glittering colored stones, tiles, and

glass.

These are called Mosaics and all the work Klimt did after 1903 was influenced by the patterns in these Early Christian art works.

Golden Phase

Klimt's Golden Phase was marked by positive critical

reaction and success. Many of his paintings from this period used gold leaf. Klimt’s trips

to Venice and Ravenna most likely

inspired his gold technique, repeated

patterns, and his Byzantine imagery.

The Kiss1907-1908Oil and gold leaf on canvasÖsterreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna, Austria

In 1911 his painting Death and Life (left) received first prize in the world exhibitions in Rome. Klimt died four years later in Vienna on February 6, 1918, having suffered a stroke and pneumonia.

Death & Life

Art

Nouveau

Portrait of Emilie Floge1902

Oil on canvas71 1/4 x 26 1/8 in. (181 x 66.5 cm)

Historisches Museum der Stadt Wien, Vienna                

Art Nouveau developed in reaction to the rapid growth of industry and technology at the end of the 19th century (1890’s).

Characteristics of the Art Nouveau style are curving shapes, decorative repeated patterns, and the use of natural materials.

Portrait of Fritza Riedler1906Oil on canvas153 x 133 cmAustrian Gallery, Vienna

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I1907Oil and gold on canvas138 x 138 cmAustrian Gallery, Vienna

The Kiss1907-08Oil and gold on canvas180 x 180 cmOsterreichische Galerie, Vienna

Aubrey Beardsley

British1872-1898

Other Art Nouveau Works

Alphonse Maria MuchaPainter, PrintmakerCzechoslovakia, Art Nouveau born 1860 - died 1939

ANTONIO GAUDI

LOUIS COMFORT TIFFANY

Art Nouveau Architecture

Your Assignment

Create a Art Nouveau-style collage.

We do this by cutting out a picture from a magazine, gluing it to scratch art paper, and filling the blank space with curving lines and

patterns.

Student Artwork