Author unknown, Virgins by Gustav Klimt, 1999

Oil on canvas, 120 x 120 cm, copy made in 1999

About the artist:
Gustav Klimt was born in 1862 in Baumgarten and died in 1918 in Vienna. Austrian painter and
printmaker, representative of Symbolism and Art Nouveau. He was educated at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts
Arts, initially specializing in decorative arts. In 1897, together with other
artists, he founded the Association of Austrian Artists - Secession. It was also at this time that he finally rejected
academic canons in favor of the avant-garde. His paintings are distinguished by rich ornamentation and bold
handling of color, especially gold. The dominant motif of his work was women.

Curiosities:
The painting, painted between 1912 and 1913, is one of the Austrian artist's last works. It depicts
a group of several women entwined together in a completely unrealistic way. Their bodies are
among a carpet of flowers and ribbons, as if on a floating island. In the central position is situated
the main figure of the painting, the title virgin. She assumes a sleeping pose. When painting her
face was modeled on the image of his life partner, Emilie Flöge.