Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt was an Austrian painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. Born in 1862 in Vienna, Klimt studied at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts, where he was trained in decorative painting. In the 1890s, Klimt emerged as a leading member of the Vienna Secession, a group of artists who sought to break free from traditional academic painting and embrace new styles and ideas. Klimt's work is characterized by his use of gold leaf and highly decorative motifs, as well as his sensual and often erotic depictions of the female form. Some of his most famous works include "The Kiss" and "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I". Klimt died in Vienna in 1918, but his legacy as a pioneering figure in modern art continues to be celebrated today.