Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt was born July 14, 1862 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary. In 1876, Klimt was awarded a scholarship to the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts. 

Gustav Klimt is an artist I actually like, this stemmed from my mother who has a budding collection of his work. My sister and I always argue over whose going to inherit her collection of Klimt, once she pops her clogs. Klimt's paintings are elegantly erotic; the women are always clothed in fanciful gowns to conceal their nakedness. His paintings are whimsical and pretty with flowers in the hair, stylised and extravagant hats, exotic people and animals; canvases covered in spirals and curves, whirlpools and bright shapes. There is just so much detail in his paintings, that one must admire his skill with a paint brush. 'The Kiss', is one of Klimt's most famous of pieces, and also one of my favourites. The painting is of a couple embracing in an intimate lock. It pulls at my heartstrings to see a tender moment depicted like this. In my opinion this is called art. Not splattered paint on canvases, like Pollock which anybody could recreate.  

 The Kiss 1907-1908 

References:http://www.gustav-klimt.com/ (Accessed: 15 March 2012)