By Dean Gregory, for Museum Spotlight Europe
In recent years, the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt has received significant attention in the media, particularly surrounding the story of the creation and disputed provenance of the portraits of Adel Bloch-Bauer, which was made into a major motion picture starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds. Currently housed at the Neue Galerie in New York, the Adele Bloch Bauer I attracts visitors from around the world. The Adele Bloch Bauer II portrait, too, was displayed temporarily at the Neue Galerie and MoMa in New York and was even owned for a time by Oprah Winfrey, who sold it eventually for $150 million.
Yet, the story of Gustav Klimt is rooted in his home city of Vienna, Austria. In fact, 2018 marks the 100 year anniversary of the death of the esteemed painter, in 1918. To commemorate his passing, some of Vienna’s art museums have organized special exhibitions to celebrate the work of its favorite son, including the Leopold Museum and the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Whether you are avid enthusiast of Klimt or are just discovering his work, let’s dig deeper into the artist himself, and then learn below where in Vienna to experience the brilliance of one of the world’s great minds.
Who was Gustav Klimt?
Klimt flourished as a painter during the Belle Epoque period at the height of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the turn of the 20th century. Vienna had emerged as one of the leading artistic and intellectual centers of the world, signified by innovative minds such as Klimt, Klimt’s protégé Egon Schiele and Sigmund Freud. Born in 1862 in Vienna, as the son of a gold engraver, Klimt came from modest beginnings. By age 14, he received a full scholarship to the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts. In 1883, following his graduation, Klimt founded the Company of Artists, which was dedicated to painting murals for the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Vienna Burgtheater.
However, in 1891, Klimt’s artistic vision changed. Precipitated by the loss of his father and brother Ernst, the painter began to formulate his personal style for which he became best known. Transcending the traditional academic style, Klimt incorporated symbolism, decorative elements and other influences into his work. By 1897, Klimt and a collection of his contemporaries formed the Vienna Secession movement, which elected to focus on individual artistic experimentation over the dominant classical academic style of the day. Klimt created the movement’s symbol – a portrait of the Greek goddess Pallas Athena, which became considered as the first in a series of paintings marking his most iconic period. With the turn of the 20th century in 1900, Klimt received acclaim for his Art Nouveau-style abounding with highly stylized motifs in his erotic depictions of women. This period became known as his “Golden Phase”, featuring the extensive utilization of gold leaf seen in his paintings “The Kiss” and the portrait of “Adel Bloch-Bauer I”.
The Belvedere Museum
Housed at Vienna’s Belvedere Museum, Klimt’s “The Kiss” may well be the most recognizable Austrian painting ever. The work depicts a couple “swathed in richly embellished robes embracing in a meadow of flowers on the brink of a precipice.” Completed in 1908, the piece marks the culmination of Klimt’s “Golden Period.” The Belvedere holds 24 works created by Klimt, making it the largest collection of the Austrian artist in the world. Other masterpieces on display include “Judith” and portraits of Sonja Knips and Fritza Riedler. In addition to allegorical portrayals and landscapes, the Belvedere features the artist’s seminal Beethoven Frieze and one of his sketchbooks. Located in the center of Vienna, the Belvedere is easily accessible by public transportation, taxi or by foot.
The Leopold Museum
The Leopold Museum currently is holding a splendid special exhibition dedicated to Klimt until November 4, 2018, entitled “Artist of the Century”. The exhibition accompanies a larger commemorative celebratory year celebrating Viennese Modernism. Marking the 100th year anniversary of Klimt’s death in 1918, the exhibition traces the development of Klimt’s style overtime. Keep in mind that if you are unable to make it to Vienna by November of this year, the Leopold features a permanent collection of Klimt’s works, including the monumental “Death and Life” painting. In addition, visitors to the Leopold can enjoy collections dedicated to Schiele as well. The Leopold is located in the museum district of the city, accessible seamlessly by foot, taxi or public transportation.
Like the Leopold Museum, the Kunsthistorisches Museum has organized commemorative displays to Klimt. The institution enables visitors to get up close and personal with the works of Klimt through the Klimt Bridge that provides more intimate access to the paintings exhibited 12 meters above ground at the Main Staircase of the space. The works, originally commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph, render substantive periods of art history. Moreover, Klimt’s “Nude Veritas” is on display in the museum’s Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities. Also located in the museum district of the city, visitors can easily reach the institution with taxi, public transportation or on foot.
A visit to the Klimt House offers a glimpse into the creative process of the artist. The space, now a museum, served as the painter’s studio from 1911 until his passing. A cottage, located at
Feldmühlgasse Number 11, Klimt wrote of the location as where he “toiled away” on his work. To celebrate the Klimt anniversary, the house has been refurbished to mark the occasion. Although the Klimt Villa lies outside of the city center, visitors find it conveniently reachable through tram, subway or by taxi.
Other Places to Experience Gustav Klimt in Vienna
A medley of other institutions in Vienna offer works related to Klimt. For example, the Wien Museum and the Albertina House vast collections of the artist’s drawings. In addition, past exhibitions have occurred at the Austrian Theater Museum, the Künstlerhaus and the Austrian Folklore Museum. Visitors to the city should consider acquiring a Vienna Pass which will enable them to visit the institutions featuring the works of Klimt at an attractive value in terms of price and time saved.
