Portrait of Helene Klimt (1898)

Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. Born in Vienna, he studied at the city's School of Decorative Arts and later opened an independent studio specializing in mural paintings. Klimt's work is noted for its precise linear drawing, bold use of flat, decorative patterns of color, and gold leaf. His primary subject was the female body, and his most successful works include "The Kiss" and a series of portraits of fashionable women. Despite his significant influence on the art world, Klimt never claimed to be revolutionizing art and did not travel extensively.