Biographic: Klimt

by Viv Croot

Many people know that Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) was an Austrian painter and founding member of the Vienna Secession art group, whose gold-tinged paintings of the female nude include The Kiss. What, perhaps, they don’t know is that The Kiss was sold before its completion for 25,000 crowns—over 50 times the amount paid for any other Austrian painting at the time; that he fathered at least 14 illegitimate children; that his fondness for cats led to his studio being overrun by his feline friends; and that in 2006 he set the record for the highest-priced painting in the world, when his Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I was sold for $135million. This book presents an instant impression of his life, work, and fame, with an array of irresistible facts and figures converted into infographics to reveal the artist behind the pictures. It is published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the artist’s death.

Genres: Art

96 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2018

Reviews

[Jaymee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted more from this, but it was enough of a very quick introduction. This "biographic" series is filled mostly with figures and data, and contextualizes the lives of the artists, so it helps look at the larger picture. As mentioned, a bit lacking, but enough for a start.

[Amber Middlebrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good surface level overview of Klimt.