Gustav Klimt The Beethoven Frieze and the Controversy over the Freedom of Art

9783791337579

3791337572

This visually stunning collection of all Klimt's landscape paintings and drawings brings to light a little-known aspect of the Viennese painter's oeuvre, proving that his mastery extends beyond portraiture, and revealing themes that appeared throughout his life's work.While Klimt is largely revered for his opulent, symbol-laden portraits of the Viennese bourgeoisie, these works were just one aspect of his artistic expression. Klimt's landscapes represent an important facet of his career, and are a valuable contribution to the school of European nature painting. For many years the artist traveled to the Austrian and Italian countryside during the summer, where he took advantage of the extraordinary light and spectacular hues. Among the most exquisite of Klimt's landscapes are those in which he experimented with composition and style; many of them reveal the influence of his contemporaries. Accompanied by essays from scholars, the images reproduced in this book comprise all extant landscapes from this brilliant artist which, though few in number, are made even more valuable by their scarcity.