Gustav Klimt

A leading artist of Viennese symbolism, Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) is known worldwide for his precious compositions in which gold dominates. In the wake of Art Nouveau, his work is powerfully decorative. He was one of the founders of the secessionist movement, created to promote Austrian art on the international stage. A profoundly original personality, Klimt elicited contrasting reactions in his time due to the eroticism of his compositions where life and death intertwine.