ADVERTISEMENT

Last Updated:
2024-09-22 08:21:10

Gustav Klimt

Austrian symbolist painter of Vienna Secession movement.
Austrian symbolist painter of Vienna Secession movement.

Gustav Klimt, a prominent Austrian symbolist painter, was known for his erotic figurative works and landscapes. Influenced by Japanese art, he faced controversy but later achieved success with his 'golden phase' paintings.

Community for Timeline Editors
Place where unique editors like you interact
51/105
1862-07-14
Birth of Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt, an Austrian symbolist painter and prominent member of the Vienna Secession movement, was born in Baumgarten, near Vienna in the Austrian Empire. He was known for his paintings, murals, and sketches, with a primary focus on the female body and landscapes.

1876
Enrollment in Vienna School of Arts and Crafts

In 1876, Gustav Klimt enrolled in the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts where he studied until 1883. He received training as an architectural painter and admired the prominent history painter of the time, Hans Makart. Klimt, along with his brother and friend, formed the 'Company of Artists' and began receiving commissions for interior murals and ceilings.

1879
Klimt's Father's Portrait

At the age of 17, Gustav Klimt painted a portrait of his father, showcasing his early talent and skill in capturing the likeness of his subjects.

1883
Opening of Klimt's Independent Studio

In 1883, Gustav Klimt opened an independent studio specializing in mural paintings after studying at the Vienna School of Decorative Arts.

1888
Klimt received the Golden Order of Merit

In 1888, Gustav Klimt received the Golden Order of Merit from Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria in recognition of his contributions to art.

1890
Gustav and Ernst decorating Burgtheater in Vienna

In 1890, Gustav Klimt and Ernst were tasked with adorning the ceiling and staircase of the newly constructed Burgtheater in Vienna.

1891
Inclusion of Nuda Veritas in Artworks

Towards the end of the 19th century, Gustav Klimt incorporated Nuda Veritas (naked truth) as a symbolic figure in his works like Ancient Greece and Egypt (1891), Pallas Athene (1898), and Nuda Veritas (1899), symbolically denouncing the policies of the Habsburgs and Austrian society.

1892-12-09
Portrait of Joseph Pembauer

A portrait of Joseph Pembauer, a pianist and piano teacher, was created on December 9, 1892. The painting is 69 x 55 cm in size and is an oil on canvas piece located at Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum in Innsbruck.

1894
Klimt commissioned to create paintings for University of Vienna

In 1894, Gustav Klimt was commissioned to create three paintings, Philosophy, Medicine, and Jurisprudence, for the ceiling of the Great Hall of the University of Vienna. These paintings were later criticized for their radical themes and deemed 'pornographic', leading to public outcry and their eventual destruction in 1945.

1897
Klimt became president of the Vienna Secession

In 1897, Gustav Klimt became one of the founding members and the president of the Vienna Secession, a group aimed at promoting unconventional young artists and showcasing their work.

1898
Gustav Klimt commissioned to create designs for Vienna University's Great Hall ceiling

In 1898, the Ministry of Education requested Gustav Klimt to create a series of designs representing Philosophy, Medicine, and Jurisprudence for the ceiling of the Great Hall at Vienna University, symbolizing the three faculties of the institution.

1899
Nuda Veritas painting by Klimt

In 1899, Gustav Klimt created the painting 'Nuda Veritas', featuring a naked red-headed woman holding a mirror of truth. The artwork symbolized Klimt's defiance against traditional norms and his desire to challenge the establishment.

1900
Controversy over Klimt's Ceiling Paintings

Around 1900, Gustav Klimt faced controversy over the paintings he completed for the ceiling of the Great Hall of the University of Vienna. The works were criticized as pornographic, leading Klimt to stop accepting public commissions. This period marked a shift in his artistic style.

1901
Judith I

Klimt's painting Judith I from 1901 features elegant gold or colored decoration with erotic positions concealed within phallic shapes.

1902
Completion of Beethoven Frieze

In 1902, Gustav Klimt finished the Beethoven Frieze for the 14th Vienna Secessionist exhibition, a celebration of the composer featuring a monumental sculpture by Max Klinger. The frieze was initially intended for the exhibition only and was painted directly on the walls with light materials, later preserved and displayed in 1986.

1904
Collaboration on Palais Stoclet

In 1904, Gustav Klimt collaborated with other artists on the Palais Stoclet, a lavish residence in Brussels. His contributions to the dining room, including 'Fulfillment' and 'Expectation', showcased some of his finest decorative work and marked a significant stage in his development of ornament.

1905
The Three Ages of Woman

In 1905, Gustav Klimt painted The Three Ages of Woman, which depicts the cycle of life.

1906
Portrait of Fritza Riedler

In 1906, Gustav Klimt painted a portrait of fashionable Viennese matron Fritza Riedler, treating the human figure without shadow and emphasizing lush sensuality.

1907-08
Hope, II

Hope, II is an oil, gold, and platinum on canvas painting by Gustav Klimt, completed in 1907-08. It is displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, measuring 110.5 × 110.5 cm.

1908-09
The Kiss

The Kiss is an oil on canvas painting created by Gustav Klimt in 1908-09. It is housed in the Belvedere Museum in Vienna and measures 180 × 180 cm.

1909-11
Stoclet House Murals

Between 1909-11, Gustav Klimt painted murals in the dining room of the Stoclet House in Brussels, known for their precisely linear drawing and decorative use of color and gold leaf.

1910
Exhibition at Venice Biennale

Klimt's work was exhibited at the 1910 Venice Biennale, showcasing his influence on other artists like Galileo Chini and Vittorio Zecchin.

1911
Death and Life

In 1911, Gustav Klimt won the First Prize in an exhibition in Rome for his painting 'Death and Life', which measures 178 x 198 cm.

1913
Life and Death

A painting created in 1913 depicting naked humans from different eras, symbolizing life with bright colors and death with darker tones.

1915
Death of Anna Klimt

In 1915, Anna Klimt, Gustav Klimt's mother, passed away.

1917
Founding of Kunsthalle

Klimt collaborated with Egon Schiele to found the Kunsthalle in 1917 to prevent local artists from going abroad, influencing the art scene.

1918-02-06
Death of Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt passed away in 1918. He was noted for his controversial works, including the paintings he completed for the ceiling of the Great Hall of the University of Vienna, which were criticized as pornographic. Klimt's influence on the art world continued even after his death.

1919
Fünfundzwanzig Handzeichnungen ('Twenty-five Drawings')

Released in Vienna in 1919 by Gilhofer & Ranschburg, this collection of twenty-five monochrome and two-color collotype reproductions features erotic drawings that were just as controversial as Klimt's painted works. Some art historians suspect Klimt's involvement in the production planning due to the meticulous nature of the printing.

1931
Gustav Klimt An Aftermath

Composed in 1931 by editor Max Eisler and printed by the Austrian State Printing Office, Gustav Klimt An Aftermath was intended to complete the lifetime folio Das Werk Gustav Klimts. The folio contains thirty colored collotypes and follows a similar format found in Das Werk Gustav Klimts.

1945
Destruction of 'Life and Death'

The painting 'Life and Death' by Gustav Klimt was destroyed in 1945 by a fire set by retreating German forces at Schloss Immendorf, Austria.

1963
Research Project Gustav Klimt. Die Zeichnungen

In 1963, the Albertina museum in Vienna initiated a research project focused on the drawings of Gustav Klimt. This project, known as Gustav Klimt. Die Zeichnungen, involved extensive exhibition and publication activities.

1972
Vienna State Opera presents new production of Salome

In 1972, the Vienna State Opera presented a new production of Salome, an opera by Oscar Wilde and Richard Strauss, featuring a Klimt inspired stage setting and costumes by Jürgen Rose. Directed by Boleslaw Barlog and conducted by Karl Böhm, this production became extremely popular and remained in the repertoire for almost fifty years.

1990
Continuation of Research Project by Marian Bisanz-Prakken

In 1990, the art historian and curator Marian Bisanz-Prakken took over the research project on Gustav Klimt's drawings from Alice Strobl. Since then, Bisanz-Prakken has further redefined, documented, and processed around 400 additional drawings, contributing to the extensive research efforts at the Albertina Vienna.

2000
Restitution of Klimt's Lady with Hat and Feather Boa

In 2000, a government committee recommended returning Klimt's Lady with Hat and Feather Boa from the Belvedere Museum in Vienna to the Jewish family who owned it before the Nazi Anschluss.

2003-11-05
Issuance of the 100 Euro Painting Gold Coin

On November 5, 2003, the Austrian Mint issued the 100 Euro Painting Gold Coin featuring Gustav Klimt in his studio with two unfinished paintings on easels, honoring the artist's legacy.

2006-01-17
Restitution of Klimt's Paintings to Maria Altmann

The Austrian National Gallery was compelled to return five paintings by Gustav Klimt to Maria Altmann, a Los Angeles based woman and heir of a Jewish family whose art was looted by the Nazis. This event inspired the movie Woman in Gold.

2006-06-19
Adele Bloch-Bauer I sold for $135 million

On or around June 19, 2006, Klimt's portrait Adele Bloch-Bauer I was purchased by Ronald Lauder for $135 million, surpassing the previous record price for a piece of art sold at a public auction.

2006-08-07
Christie's Auction of Klimt's Paintings

Christie's auction house announced the sale of four works by Klimt recovered by Maria Altmann and her co-heirs after a legal battle against Austria. The paintings were featured in documentaries like Adele's Wish and inspired the film Woman in Gold.

2006-09-16
All that glitters is golden: $135 million selling price for Klimt makes perfect sense

An article featured in The New York Times on September 16, 2006, highlighting the record-breaking selling price of $135 million for a Gustav Klimt artwork.

2007-10-18
Klimts Go to Market; Museums Hold Their Breath

A piece published in The New York Times on October 18, 2007, discussing the anticipation and impact of Klimt artworks entering the market, causing museums to be on edge.

2008
Christian Dior Spring-Summer 2008 haute couture collection inspired by Klimt

In 2008, the couturier John Galliano found inspiration in Klimt's work for the Christian Dior Spring-Summer 2008 haute couture collection, showcasing designs influenced by the iconic artist.

2009
Restitution of Klimt's Portrait of Ria Munk III

In 2009, the Lentos Art Museum in Linz restituted Klimt's Portrait of Ria Munk III to the heirs of Aranka Munk, a Jewish art collector who perished in the Holocaust. The portrait was of her daughter.

2011-11
Auction of Litzlberg am Attersee

The painting Litzlberg am Attersee by Klimt was auctioned for $40.4 million in November 2011.

2012-01-25
Austrian Mint Gold Coin Series for Klimt's 150th Birth Anniversary

The Austrian Mint started a five-coin gold series in 2012 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Gustav Klimt's birth. The first coin, a 50 Euro gold coin, was released on 25 January 2012, featuring a portrait of Klimt and a section of his painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer.

2012-07-14
Google Doodle celebrating Klimt's 150th birthday

On July 14, 2012, Google commemorated Gustav Klimt with a Google Doodle featuring his painting 'The Kiss' in celebration of the artist's 150th birthday.

2013
Establishment of Gustav Klimt Foundation

In 2013, the Gustav Klimt Foundation was founded by Ursula Ucicky, aiming to preserve and promote Gustav Klimt's artistic legacy. Peter Weinhäupl, the managing director of the Leopold Museum, was appointed as the foundation's Chairman.

2018
Influence of Klimt on portrait of Michelle Obama by Amy Sherald

In 2018, elements of the portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama by Amy Sherald were noted to be influenced by Gustav Klimt, particularly drawing comparisons to Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I.

2019
Alexander McQueen collection partially inspired by Klimt

The 2019 collection by designer Alexander McQueen was partially inspired by Gustav Klimt, incorporating elements of the artist's style and motifs into the designs.

2021
French Minister of Culture's Announcement on Restitution of Klimt's Rosebushes Under the Trees

In 2021, the French minister of culture declared that Klimt's Rosebushes Under the Trees, the only Klimt painting in France's national collections, was Nazi loot and should be returned to the heirs of the Jewish family persecuted by the Nazis.

2023-06-27
Sale of Lady with a Fan

Klimt's last painting, Lady with a Fan, was sold by Sotheby's in London for UK£85.3M to a Hong Kong collector, becoming the highest-priced artwork ever sold at auction in Europe.

2024-05-06
KLIMT LANDSCAPES Exhibition at the Neue Galerie New York

An upcoming exhibition at the Neue Galerie New York titled 'KLIMT LANDSCAPES' scheduled from February 15 to May 6, 2024, focusing on Gustav Klimt's landscape artworks.

End of the Timeline
Gustav Klimt
Become an Editor of Timeline Wiki
Become an Editor of
Timeline Wiki
USD $0 for creating and editing infinite number of timelines after sign up.