From decorative arts to erotica and gold leaf paintings: discover the phenomenal career of the most acclaimed painter of fin-de-siècle Vienna.

The shimmering, golden sensuality of The Kiss, the monumental and allegorical Beethoven's Frieze, the symbolic power of Death and Life... These are just some of the works that illustrate Gustav Klimt's immense artistic ability. This accessible guide to the Viennese painter sets his work in the context of the vibrant but politically unstable Vienna of the early 20th century.

Angela Wenzel explores Klimt's early years designing majestic interiors throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire, including the now-defunct Faculty Paintings in the Great Hall of the University of Vienna. Readers will learn about the co-founding of the Vienna Secession, his transformative trips to the Basilica of St. Vital in Ravenna, his break with the Secession, and his crucial meeting with the painter Egon Schiele.

The story of Klimt's life is told alongside dozens of impeccable reproductions of his works, both in their entirety and in detailed close-ups, allowing us to appreciate their precision, use of colour, exquisite symbolism and the sensual geometry of his compositions. Elegant and affordable, this compact volume is the perfect introduction to one of the most admired painters of the 20th century.

Publisher: Prestel