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Customer Reviews (4)

best value kimt book
I have many books on klimt and this book in my opinion is the best value for money if I was on a budget and could only buy one klimt book this would be it. Reproductions are excellent and include many detail shots.

Amazing art.
This is a really great book.I absolutely love the colors and patterns Klimt uses, and I think the book really shows them off nicely.

Buy this book!
Incredible. Worth every penny. Better than some books that cost three to four times as much. The reproductions are wonderful, and it covers every area of Klimt's diverse collection of works.

Stunning!
This is really a stunning book, especially for $16!! How can they do that? Measuring 10 x 11 in. it is plenty big and the color reproductions are as good as any I have seen. Many of the color reproductions utilize the full page, something many other art book producers would do well to emulate. At four times this price I would give this book my very best recommendation. If you are looking for a book on Klimt, buy this one. You will be very satisfied at the level of quality you are getting! ... Read more

Product Description
The enfant terrible of the Viennese art scene, Klimt was notorious for his portraits of beautiful women. Illustrated with color reproductions, this book profiles the women who figured in the artist’s life and on his canvasses. The author looks beyond the standard assumption that Klimt was a hard-hearted philanderer, pointing instead to his committed and loving relationship with Emilie Flöge that prevailed despite the parade of beautiful women who wandered in and out of theartist’s studio. Partsch demonstrates Klimt’s role in the evolution of portrait painting, which helped usher in the age of Expressionism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Enjoyable and informative find
No area of Klimt's art better displays his true genius than his paintings/sketches of women. His ability to flawlessly capture things such as beauty, sensuality, and love is unrivaled by any other artist. A varied collection of gorgeous pieces are displayed, while a great deal of interesting information provides an even deeper appreciation for the works.

A FRESH LOOK AT KLIMT'S WOMEN
This small volume is almost a tapestry of the vibrant colors the artist used in his unparalleled depictions of women.Termed by some the enfant terrible of turn-of-the-century Vienna, his work nonetheless often represented the confounding relationship between artist and society women at that time.

A lifelong bachelor and known profligate, Klimt was eclectic in his tastes, showering his favors upon wealthy patrons as well as poor models.

Although still a controversial figure, letters that have come to light in recent years allow the author to reexamine Klimt's relationships and offer readers a fresh look at the paintings inspired by these women. ... Read more

Product Description

Scandal, passion, fame and misfortune--the story of Gustav Klimt's life and career is beautifully illustrated in a book designed to be as exciting as its subject matter.

In this arresting volume the author discusses his paintings' frank eroticism and elaborate decorations against the background of Klimt's sensational life. She introduces readers to turn-of-the-century Vienna, a hotbed of cultural conflict and aesthetic awakening. She shows how his volatile relationship with the Viennese art world, run-ins with the law, and irrepressible sensuality shaped the artist's career. The author also considers Klimt's innovative techniques and novel approach to portraiture as well as his philosophy of painting. Finally the author reveals how a resurgent interest in Klimt's life is fueling further debate about the roles of eroticism and fashion in the art world of today.

Customer Reviews (1)

A terrific book
One of the nicest art books I've ever seen.Beautifully produced at an amazing price for this quality.Not only reproductions and discussions of major works but also essays that put the artist into the world in which he lived, the life he was leading, and the influences on his work.I want to look into more books in this series.Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
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. His 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 to paint and sketch landscapes. Among the most exquisite of Klimt’s landscapes are those in which he experimented with composition and style. Accompanied by scholarly essays, the images reproduced in this book comprise all extant landscapes from this brilliant artist, proving that his mastery extends beyond portraiture and revealing themes that appeared throughout his life’s work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Sumptuous paintings
This is a beautifully done book that focuses on the nearly 60 landscape paintings that Austrian painter Gustav Klimt produced, mainly while at leisure and away from Vienna.The 281-page book (paperback--roughly 10"X8") is extremely well-illustrated with photographs, drawings and a wide range of paintings by Klimt and others that he admired or was influenced by.These illustrations are in somewhat small format (the book is smallish), but the quality of the reproductions is first-rate.

The book also includes excellent text on Klimt's career, the secession movement and detailed descriptions of many individual paintings, particularly all of the landscapes that are the centerpieces of the work.At the end of the book, there is a career chronology for Klimt which reminds the reader that the artist died a comparatively young man at age fifty-six, in 1918.

While many of these landscapes are distinctively the work of the artist who produced the elaborate and lush portraits that made him so successful in fin-de-siecle Vienna, they are also something a bit different than the portraits.Unlike the decorative portraits, these paintings--often in unusual square format--did not follow elaborate preparatory drawing.The directness of the connection between Klimt and the natural subjects comes across clearly.Several of these gorgeous paintings--Attersee,Tall Poplars,A Morning by the Pond--go off in completely different directions and could be the works a number of post-impressionists, including Edvard Munch.

One of the best known of Klimt's landscapes, Church in Cassone--Landscape with Cypresses(well-illustrated and discussed in this book), was sold last month by Sotheby's for over $100 million.

This is a wonderful book that should be in any art library.

Landscapes of Gustav Klimt
I love the landscapes of Gustav Klimt and this book has wonderful photos and details of his paintings. i would have liked a little more of a biography of the artist.

Klimt for Klimt
Klimt has always been a problematic artist.In contemporary terms, he was a sell-out, but that hardly addresses the situation of a man good with the brushes a hundred years ago trying to make a bit more than a decent living for himself.That was the Nouveau years.The panels and friezes and commissions, the society portraits, the weird freaky paintings with all the gold paint.The man had great talent, and there's that reason that to this day you can buy prints and posters and postcards of his most famous paintings.I happen to own a "Die Kusse" night-light.

It is terribly refreshing to own a volume dedicated to the man's landscapes.For the most part, these were paintings Klimt did for himself while vacationing with his friends in the summer months.They were not meant for sale.Often they were done in an audacious--for the time--square format.A few of the canvases are pretty tedious.But a great number are inspiring and terribly original.It's great to see the lot collected, and well-worth the look, not to mention purchase.

highly recommended
Klimt seems to be best known for his figuratives - any study of his work should include his landscapes. A very nice book with good color plates.

Gustav Klimt: Landscapes
It is a pleasure to have access to these beautiful works, which are more frequently overshadowed by the attention given to images of people and mythic figures for which Klimt is best known. These landscapes are revealing of both the subject matter and of Klimt the artist as he probed the composition and colors of the places that intrigued him. ... Read more

Product Description

From painted ceilings and hypnotic murals to gold-flecked portraits, this introduction to the life and work of the great Art Nouveau painter brings to light the many features of Gustav Klimt's art that appeal to younger audiences.

Children of all ages will respond to this vibrant exploration of Klimt's most celebrated paintings. Beautiful reproductions of his friezes, paintings, and photographs highlight the important aspects of Klimt's career and personal life. Double-page spreads and dynamic design introduce readers to the artist's intricate mosaics, his use of mythological references, his dazzling palette, and his enchanting and elegant portraits. Young readers are invited inside Klimt's studio, where they learn what a day in the life of the artist entails. They are encouraged to share Klimt's love for painting as they gain an understanding of the artist's unique and mesmerizing work.

Customer Reviews (2)

Beautiful, classy children's book.
Easy to understand information and great pictures. I teach Spec. Ed. so the layout appeals to multiple academic levels.

Gustav Klimt: A Painted Fairy Tale
I was very disappointed in this book.I am an elementary art teacher, and was looking for resources to bring the work of this wonderful artist to kids.There were no reviews yet of the book, and no inside views, so I unfortunately took a risk.First of all, since it is part of a series of books that introduces artists and their artwork to children, I was surprised that some of the images chosen for the book included somewhat erotic nudity.Due to these images, I cannot show the book to my elementary students; I risk getting fired!I know much of Klimt's work DOES contain eroticism and nudity, but those images should not be in a book aimed at kids.Second of all, the title "A Painted Fairy Tale" led me to believe the text would be geared for kids.It was not.It is too difficult for youngsters, and not at a level they would understand if I read it to them.There is no attempt to relate Klimt's work and life to the fairy tale alluded to in the title.If you are an adult looking to learn about Klimt, fine.The quality of reproductions is good, and the text is informative.If you plan to use it with kids, as I did, don't waste your money.What a disappointment! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Acceptable book for the classroom
This book is not the most interesting for kindergardeners as it has a lot to stop and explain.I like to be able to just read the book all the way through but this one you cannot do that with because they would be lost. The pictures are beautiful and do hold their attention more than the story.

Fun fiction, just full of facts.
Easy to understand information and great pictures. I teach Spec. Ed. so the storyline appealedto multiple age & academic levels.

a little disappointed
I was so excited to receive Klimt and His Cat, but was suddenly disappointed when flipping through the pages and saw bare-breasted women.One was in an illustration showing Klimt's models and the other three are included in original paintings in the back of the book.I was planning on using this in my elementary art room, but those details are going to ruin the fun, knowing they will be pointed out immediately.I am not returning the book because of the great story and the other fun illustrations, I am just going to have to get creative on covering up Klimt's models with attaching paper clothes.I just wish this would have been brought to my attention before my purchase, so I am trying to help others out.

Seaside
Great book to use in the classroom.Beautiful illustrations. I have done a lot with Klimt in the classroom and this book will really help the young children enjoy him even more. And maybe inpsire lots of their own masterpieces. ... Read more

Product Description
The best of Klimt's drawings and watercolors, beautifully reproduced in full color.

There is no doubt about Gustav Klimt's greatness as a draftsman. Remarkable above all is the intensely sensual mood that he establishes in his limpid, fluid drawings and watercolors: the pencil or crayon line with which his subjects are described explores and caresses as though the act of drawing was itself a seduction. Klimt's drawings are often highly erotic and explicit, many to such an extent that they have rarely been reproduced. This has made for an unbalanced representation of his work as a draftsman, and a comprehensive survey of his graphic output is long overdue.

Rainer Metzger, a noted art historian, has brought together hundreds of Klimt's drawings and watercolors in a way that enriches our knowledge of the artist and enhances the visual impact of his oeuvre. Klimt's drawings and studies, and his elegantly direct and dangerously intoxicating preparatory sketches, reveal the underlying impetus for and structure of his elaborate canvases. 307 color illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Recommended
From all the books I ordered in my last purchase, this has to be my favorite. Not only does it have rare studies and designs from Master Klimt. If there is a book you should buy to understand his works a bit more, this is the one :)

Deep in the senses
Wonderful. Quick, immediate, and from the heart - or some other organ of animal intensity. Despite the title, there aren't so many watercolors, nearly none. The drawings are superb, though.

Klimt was an intense sensualist. He was often photographed in a floor-length painter's smock, probably wearing nothing underneath. Also, he was commonly seen in his studio amid models not just nude but naked, in intimate and revealing poses, often in couples and more-somes. Add in the fact that Klimt acknowledged three children out of wedlock, and posthumously faced claims of fourteen more. He was clearly a man profoundly moved by female beauty. His life ouvre of painting shows that.

Thousands of his drawings are available to scholars, but the few hundred here show Klimt's passion even more clearly than his lush paintings ever did. Some are studies for his well-known paintings; he was known to do hundreds in preparation for major works. Other sketches can also be traced to known paintings, though with less certainty. Still others are too vividly sensual to have been shown in his own time.

The author includes helpful and revealing biographical notes, largely at the beginning and end of the thick book. I must caution readers with eyes aging like mine are - although the lines of type have wide, airy spacing and low x-height, the text itself looks like 8-point or smaller. Some readers will be so physically uncomfortable from eyestrain that they will lose all the value, or at least enjoyment in those written words. Dear author and publisher: check the book's layout with graying readers before committing it to type, I beg you.

Outside of that, the physical presentation is impeccable. The book is thick, as I said, but that is largely due to the heavy, bright, opaque stock on which the pages are printed - it's a 400 page book with 600 page bulk. I am not criticizing. That quality of paper takes the fine detail of the reproduced drawings beautifully, without glare, and without showing through from the back. It looks and feels luxurious. The book's rich physical sense perfectly complements its visual sensuality. I recommend this book very highly, whether your interest is in Klimt, in arts related to Nouveau, or in simply womanly beauty.

//wiredweird

slightly disappointed
I love the drawing style of Klimt and Schiele but the overall experience was spoilt by he poor text typeface and the miniscule point size.Buy it for the pictures, not the words! ... Read more

Product Description

Grand in size and sumptuously produced, this monograph presents Klimt's complete painted works in all their opulent detail and sensuous beauty.

This uniquely exhaustive survey of the leading artist of Viennese Art Nouveau style offers art lovers an irresistible opportunity: page after page of Klimt's paintings and frescoes along with illuminating commentary about his life and career. The author presents Klimt's entire painted oeuvre on an unprecedented scale. His commentary reflects the latest academic findings, such as Klimt's newly discovered church frescoes in Istria, in chapters featuring a wide-range of topics, including Klimt and women, the Viennese Secession, landscapes, portraits, and allegories.

This volume's remarkable packaging reflects the magnificence of the work within. The book's large format allows close examination of the exquisite detail and luminescent quality of the work for which Klimt is renowned, making it a perfect gift or collector's item. Best of all, it provides viewers with an all-encompassing perspective on one of history's greatest painters.

Customer Reviews (7)

Klimt book
I was very pleased, despite the stricke in England the item was shipped quickly, safely and very well packed. Thanks!

A simply OK art book
I purchased the book with some extra cash, despite the warnings by AH Art Lover UK.I recommend everyone read his review first for some very important points.

The type face is quite striking and it excels at mirroring the glamor and scale of Klimt.As a simple coffee table book on Klimt, this certainly makes a bold statement. A serious art book this is not.

I agree with Art Lover that many of the paintings were printed too small for such an over-sized book. However, some pictures were printed very large as details, and I found these quite good.Never (in all the books I have purchased) have I seen his work with such detail.The image quality was good, and i found only a few blurry images.The full catalog in the back of the book has very small images, and I was quite saddened that many of my favorite paintings were excluded from the full page treatment.

Many "rare" paintings were included that I had no knowledge of.Also, this book represents the most recent findings on Klimt's work.I especially enjoyed the breakthroughs on the Stoclet Frieze's Knight.

The writing is good, and does a great job of pointing out historical facts, but it spends little time on the paintings themselves.I also found that the painting being talked about in the text was often several pages away from the text describing it.Many times, the images being described in the text (paintings that are usually by other artists) were not to be found within the book.

Its a good history book and offers great insight into klimt.For the price it really is a toss up depending on your budget.I wish it had more full size images, but I enjoyed the large size and EXCELLENT quality of the printing, binding, and overall craftsmanship.

The beauty of Klimt comes alive
This book is absolutely beautiful..both in its imagery,type face and narrative.
Highly recommended to lovers of Art Nouveau and Klimt

Klimt - Weidinger
A magnificent work of art! All of Klimt's dazzling paintings as well as his drawings, beautifully reproduced, and accompanied by Weidinger's critical assessments. We are savoring each page as we slowly work our way thru this major (in size as well as content) accomplishment.

Gorgeous!!
I just received a copy of this book that I ordered for my mother for Christmas, and I am very tempted to keep it for myself!It is gorgeous and the reproductions of the paintings are amazing. I have always been a big fan of Klimt's work and this book does not disappoint.There are some brand new paintings included and the most fascinating parts of the book are when actual historic photos of the subject are included along side a painting of the subject - I love that part! Also, great commentary about his career and life.Wonderful!! ... Read more

Product Description
Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) is perhaps the most remarkable artist to have emerged from late 19th-century Vienna, a painter whose controversial, highly personal style was influenced by both symbolism and art nouveau. Now, this volume brings together for the first time the best of Klimt's sketches, along with the finished paintings which they preceded. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

excellent insight
A well-written reference on the development of many of Klimt's paintings. Thorough research connecting social milieu and technical art history, it helps to dissolve the opinions of those who feel Klimt's work is best left to calenders and dorm-room walls.


Indispensable for the understanding of the artist's aesthetic motivations.

A wonderful example of the process of making art!
I saw this book at a Borders in Chicago and I can hardly wait to get my paws on it. No...it's not all the pretty pictures, but it has wonderful examples of how Klimt approached his compositions. I would have scooped it at Borders, but YIKES, the price was a killer. It will be mine one day!

u dont get it
everyother review of this book has dumbfounded me. they dont get the concept of the book at all. i hear all the negative reviews, but for the wrong reasons, the book is brilliant and the best klimt out there and here's why. It's a window into the genius's mind, we get to see all of his sketches to each corresponding piece. for any real artist it's a jewel of composition, type design, and beautiful ideas. the people who want books of the famous pieces, are the same people who like the force fed music the radio stations give them and the women who wear broaches on sunday when they go for the annual museum outing (no offence grandma) . welcome to thinking for yourself. and finding out how gustav klimt thinks. good book....

Incomplete illustrations
I fell in love with Klimt after a trip to Vienna.This book was the first I purchased in hopes of taking some of his work with me, but I was sorely disappointed.Little of his most recognized work is included.Although the information was good, the illustrations were lacking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Superbly illustrated - well designed
In the essay which introduces Klimt's landscapes, Johannes Dubai discuses, dissects and compares the artist's work, with particular reference to the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. He looks to at the symbolism in Klimt's work and the themes which dominate his paintings. The essay is illustrated in black and white. Preceding the essay is a short biography.

The plates comprise the bulk of the book, commencing on page 35 and running through to the end on page 143. There are 90 plates in total, all but nine of them in full colour. Almost all of the paintings are square in format, as is the book itself, and all of these square pictures are printed as bleed pages, the image completely filling the page. Sensibly the facing page for each painting is blank except for the title and brief details.

This is a beautifully produced book, the decision to show the paintings as bleed images seems particularly appropriate for Klimt's landscapes; the sky being in most cases totally absent from these, displaying them filling the page compliments the flat pattern or jewel like surface and almost claustrophobic effect Klimt achieves by ignoring the sky.

A splendid volume, beautifully illustrated, even the monochromes have been reproduced with care, avoiding the dense detail-lacking blacks frequently found in off-set litho of the period.

12" x 12" (30.5 cm x 30.5 cm) 143 pages. ISBN 0297793853. Published 1988

Klimt is a Master
These are some inspiring works. I never knew he'd done so many landscapes. I've always admired his figurative art, but now I'm even more in awe of this very original and powerful artist. The reproductions are sharp and vibrant, and the format of the book is just right for showing these paintings. ... Read more

Product Description
The finest drawings of the celebrated Austrian artist—mostly nudes and seminudes taken in part from rare portfolios of 1919 and 1964—reveal the dynamics of the line in representing the human figure spontaneously and freely. Introduction.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Interesting studies
If you're a Klimt fan, I do recommend this book. It's filled with interesting (and rather simple) studies of many of his paintings, as well as personal works. It's an interesting way to get acquainted to Klimt's process and vision.

Fantastic
This is a wonderful book for anyone who would like to experience Klimt. I found it very inspirational and completed several study sketches using this book.

The simplistic beauty of a continual line
Gustav Klimt is amazing. I love his work and I have most recently become more intrigued by his ideas and sketches.If you like Klimt, check out Auguste Rodin, and Egon Schiele also.They all have similar sketch stylizes and imagery. I am an art major and I specialize in painting portraits, so Klimt's sketches are a natural way for me to go.I love his work so I loved this book but as another reviewer stated, the images were too light.The drawings were awfully faint and on gray paper, I would have liked them to be printed darker or at least on white paper.Also there were a lot of his major sketches for his masterpieces missing that I've found in other books.Over all it's a very good book for a nice price.

ga ga for gustav
this is an amazing book! as an amateur graphic artist, this has been an invaluable reference and inspiration to me. all of the drawings are of figures, mostly women, mostly naked. they were largely done without direction to his models while they lounged around his loft so they are very intimate, sensual, and sometimes erotic.
his style is so lucid, i can stare at the images forever. the line is so smooth and light(usually pencil, sometimes charcoal), that the images seem like stencils. the body is basically a contour drawing and then the hair is captured in typical art nouveau style, with stylized strands moving in one direction.
i can't say enough about this book. the work is so simple and stunning...when i try to relate what it means to me, i can't think of a thing to say.

ga ga for gustav
this is an amazing book! as an amateur graphic artist, this has been an invaluable reference and inspiration to me. all of the drawings are of figures, mostly women, mostly naked. they were largely done without direction to his models while they lounged around his loft so they are very intimate, sensual, and sometimes erotic.
his style is so lucid, i can stare at the images forever. the line is so smooth and light(usually pencil, sometimes charcoal), that the images seem like stencils. the body is basically a contour drawing and then the hair is captured in typical art nouveau style, with stylized strands moving in one direction.
i can't say enough about this book. the work is so simple and stunning...when i try to relate what it means to me, i can't think of a thing to say. ... Read more

Product Description
Highlights from the Viennese artist s entire career are brought together in this stunning volume that examines his groundbreaking work as well as his diverse talents.

For much of his career, Gustav Klimt was at the center of a movement taking hold in Viennese culture, the goal of which was to create unity among art forms: fine arts, architecture and design. This movement transformed the city, physically and philosophically, and made Klimt a celebrity. This gorgeous exhibition catalog highlights many of Klimt's most important works and traces the significant stages of the artist's career: his involvement with the Viennese Secession, his collaboration with the Wiener Werkstatte, and his role as the foremost portraitist and landscape painter of the Jugendstil period. In this volume, readers will find beautiful color illustrations of Klimt's masterpieces. His famous Beethoven Frieze is reproduced in its entirety. His paintings Judith I and Adam and Eve, superb examples of Klimt's experiments with gold and mosaic style, allow close inspection of every detail. Other sumptuous paintings display the broad range of Klimt's oeuvre, while his drawings and erotic sketches offer an intimate glimpse into his artistic process and technique. Essays from the world's foremost scholars on Klimt shine light on his personal life and the various influences on his work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Gustav Klimt bio and prints softcover
This is an excellent book for those who are not art experts but who enjoy knowing something about the artists. "The Kiss" is a well-known picture. This has just enough bio and pictures to make you want to read it. Not overwhelming! I sent this book (ordered from Amazon) to my sister and she loved it! (I had bought a shop-worn copy at a book store). ZM ... Read more

Product Description
Characterized by spirals of color, small and large triangles, golden dots and floral shapes, the work of Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) is bursting with rich and fascinating ornamentation, and a feeling of opulence and passion."The Kiss", one of his most famous paintings, magically draws in viewers of all ages.Turn-of-the-century society is brought alive through the eyes of one of the most celebrated painters of the time.Travel with Klimt through Italy as he discovers the richly gilded Baroque interiors that inspire his paintings.See how he painted his unusual portraits, meet his models, and be swept along by his glorious colors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Conrad Josias, Author
My wife and I bought the Klimt book as a gift for a friend. Both my wife and I were delighted with the book and its lustrous presentation. We plan to buy four more for four other friends.

Gorgeous book!!Not just for kids.
This is a beautiful book.It is geared toward older children, but the presentation and photo quality will make any adult take a second look.Klimt's work is often characterized by the use of gold leaf -- this book actually prints the paintings so that they have a gold surface.Each page discusses an aspect of Klimt's life or work-- his relationship with Emile Floge, his travels to Italy, his Beethoven Frieze, etc.The background of each page is beautifully decorated to correspond with the information and photographs.

I have several other books of Klimt's work-- this one has the best overview of his life and work, best reproductions, and by far my favorite in terms of how it presented the information.It is only 30 pages, but is truly a gem of a book.

If you are interested in art history or art in general, I also recommend the other Adventures in Art books, particulary the one on Van Gogh.The presentation is very similar to the Klimt book. ... Read more

Product Description

A rich survey of the life and work of one of the most intriguing artists of the twentieth century.

Published in conjunction with an exciting exhibition at the Neue Galerie New York, opening in autumn 2007, this beautifully produced book features more than one hundred color plates in a generous layout that allows close viewing of the artist's paintings and drawings. Admirers of Klimt will discover fascinating essays by leading scholars, many containing new research and fresh insights. The essays' subjects include Klimt's earliest patrons; his studios; the role of photography in his erotic work; profiles of the most important women in the artist's life; his relationship with Gustav Mahler and Auguste Rodin; his never-before-published 1917 notebook; and an interview by Neue Galerie director Renée Price with Maria Altmann, heir to the five paintings stolen by the Nazis that were recently returned to her by the Austrian government. Perfect for casual perusing or serious study, this lavish exploration of Klimt's life and art, and the influence of Klimt on popular culture, is certain to find a wide audience.

Customer Reviews (6)

Wonderful gift for a Klimt lover
I bought this book for my hubby who enjoys the works of Klimpt.The book includes his most familiar work as well as some pieces we had not seen before.Very nice addition to the library.

Disappointed
I was disappointed in this book as there were only a handful of full page images of Klimt's work. Come on, with 480 pages to work with they could've included many more full page images. The book was mostly text and small pictures filled with his history and artists inspired by him.
:(

Definitive Book on Gustav Klimt
I feel this book is by far the best source of information about Gustav Klimt offered today.It has been intelligently compiled.I have not seen a more informative resource offered yet.My collection contains many books on Klimt from all over the world, including ones obtained during my trip to Vienna last spring.If you are a lover of Klimt's work or have just discovered him, this book is a must have for your library.

The Epitome of the Fin de Siècle in Vienna
Gustav Klimt (1862 - 1918), while popular and admired in his time, suffered a period of being regarded as the King of Kitsch for many years after his death. It has only been in the past half century (and especially now) that his contribution to the art world is being recognized and appreciated. His paintings are highly prized, are cause célèbre in their movement from collection to collection, and his influence on modern art and the birth of the decorative arts (especially Art Deco) is unchallenged.

This extraordinary book GUSTAV KLIMT: THE RONALD S. LAUDER AND SERGE SABARSKY COLLECTIONS is now the definitive work on the strange man who introduced the Secession, a movement that hoped to create a new style that would depart from historical influence and stir in the influence of Sigmund Freud. Klimt, whose shimmering paintings incorporated gold leaf and sensuous nude women in 'scandalous poses',brought Vienna to its feet to recognize the works of the French Impressionists.The book is not only a compendium of lush illustrations of his photographs, drawings, and paintings, but it is also a fine history of all of the elements that Klimt incorporated into his work and his inevitable influence in history.

The writings in the book are not dry pages of overused history: here are essays by some brilliant writers and historians such as Alessandra Comini, Ronald Lauder, Renee Price, Janis Staggs and others, each of whom takes a special aspect of Klimt's work and life and polishes the information with some first revelations of unknown notebooks and images. In this collection of drawings are little known works of nude women satisfying themselves that show the mutual influences of Klimt and Egon Schiele! But the final glory of the book is the very large collection of Klimt's output.It will be a while before any other volume can match this one for visual and intellectual interest.Highly Recommended.Grady Harp, December 07

Klimt and his patrons
This is the catalogue for the current Klimt show at the Neue Galerie in NY. All the works belong to the two founding collections of themuseum and most of them are drawings, which allows an irreplaceable insight into the artist's working method. The illustations are of a very high quality and the book is a treasure trove of information on Klimt's early Austrian collectors (mostly Jewish,which accounts for their tragic fate during WWII), and the subsequent "discovery" of Klimt by American collectors, thanks to some courageous dealers like Otto Kallir, owner of the gallery Saint-Etienne in New York. The book also dwells on the much commented recent acquisition of Klimt's famous painting "Adele Bloch-Bauer", which is the centerpiece of the exhibition, and on its importance in the artist's oeuvre. Without being a retrospective, this book, through its many top-quality illustrations and thorough studies of various aspects of Klimt's oeuvre, is a must-have for any art lover, even if some may wonder if the artist is really the top-tier painter that the Neue Galerie makes him out to be: isn't Klimt's art sometimes too decorative (especially when compared to Egon Schiele's)? ... Read more

Product Description
Gustav Klimt's art is thoroughly fin de siecle. It expresses the apocalyptic atmosphere of Vienna's upper middle-class society - a society devoted to the cultivation of aesthetic awareness and the cult of pleasure. The ecstatic joy which Klimt and his contemporaries found - or hoped to find - in beauty was constantly overshadowed by death. And death therefore plays an important role in Klimt's art. Klimt's fame, however, rests on his reputation as one of the greatest erotic painters and graphic artists of his times. In particular, his drawings, which have been widely admired for their artistic excellence, are dominated by the erotic portrayal of women. Klimt saw the world "in female form". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Essential Art
An easy book to read from cover to cover or to simply dip into. The paintings are reviewed chronologically revealing Klimt's development and influences as they occurred.

One of the things I liked about this book, which I think more could learn from, is that plates from other parts of the book were (re)printed in a larger thumbnail under many of the reviews to illustrate a point, which might be a stylistic comparison, or trying to guess who a certain unidentified model was, or whatever. This technique not only saves time flipping through the pages to find the plate to see what the author is talking about, but also means the book is much more richly illustrated as a result.

Very good value.

disappointing
the book is small, 8 x 10 - there is no fold out.the color reproductions, and even the black and white reproductions are muddy and indistinct - very disappointing.However, the written commentary and the photos are interesting and valuable.There are works illustrated that would like to see in a better presentation.

So, this book gives you a hint at the beauty of these paintings, it's up to us to search out better reproductions.

Review by Skid Lo, courtesy of Gunter Kelm
This is truly a wonderful book. The paintings are beautifully re-produced and printed. The analysis is in depth and fascinating. I would like an index of all the works contained in the book. Perhaps individual critical analysis of each print would be better, but it's difficult to criticize a book selling for 10 dollar!
This book was originally published in 1990 so it does not have the current developmets of Klimt's art: such as the 2006 auction of Adele Bloch-Bauer I for 135 million dollars - the highest price ever paid for a painting. A B-B I is hardly critiqued in this book. But overall, the book is a must read!

KLIMT by Gottfried Fliedl
My disappointment comes from the printing process rather than the content,
which is chock full of color plates of Klimt's paintings and some great
photos of Klimt's life and times.
All of the color plates and the photos are printed soft-edged and the wonderful vibrant golds are somehow absent. None the less, it is a lovely
book with a very good text and a marvelous range of his work.

Revealing, Educational and Loads of Photos
First of all, the book is not covered as shown in the amazon photo which shows the famous "kiss" painting.The book, apparently updated in 2006, shows a cover photo of Klimt's famous Danae (1907-8) oil on canvas painting. I think this cover is more provacative and more organic and softer than the famed Kiss painting which reveals a couple entwined in gold looking rather stiff.Danae was certainly a better choice for the cover.The book is definitely not written for the casual art reader.It is written with extreme depth as what I'd expect from a historian of the arts on a university research level.As verbose as it is, it has plenty, if not hundreds of photos of the famous works, including all of Klimt's paintings and lesser known sketches.The author discusses several of Klimt's famous paintings in depth and reviews various critics of Klimt's time period as well as Klimt's personal opinions and struggles.Culture, politics, and various movements in the arts is also discussed at length.This book is too deep for the casual browser or reader but makes a great coffee table book if only for the pictures alone.It is a high quality book and the pages are high quality (acid free) and glossy.The painting photos are rich and fully colored, better than other books I've bought on Klimt (where the precious gold paint is reduced to lousy brownish or greenish prints).The gold tones in this book, so famous in Klimt's work, are reproduced extremely well as well as the other vivid colors so characteristic of Klimt's work.It's a bargain to get this book at the price. ... Read more

Product Description
Viennese artist Gustav Klimt expressed his dedication to the theme of "woman" throughout his life--in his early historical paintings, in allegorical depictions and erotic drawings, and in classic large female portraits. This gorgeously illustrated book offers for the first time a survey of Klimt's approach to the female form and sets his work in the context of fundamental social changes at the turn of the century. Distributed for Dumont, Cologne ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ahhhh the designs-- the portraits!
I first found this book in a hotel library and thought about "borrowing" it! This artist's work is iconic and so far ahead of his time.
I had to have it for myself and am so glad to own a copy via AMAZON.
The stories about Klimt's women in his life helped shape him as an artist and allows us to understand him more.
A beautiful glossy coffee table book that has substance. ... Read more

Product Description
The most remarkable artist of late-19th-century Vienna, Gustav Klimt developed a highly personal style that combines decorative pattern with a mysterious, smoldering eroticism. This beautiful volume-the most comprehensive survey in English of the life and work of this popular artist-is the catalogue of a major Klimt exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the first Klimt retrospective in North America.

Superb reproductions of paintings and works on paper show all the phases of Klimt's career. With texts by highly respected experts who include recently discovered information about this compelling artist, the book will attract academics as well as Klimt's legions of fans.
330 photographs, 190 in full color, 240 pages, 10 x 12"Amazon.com Review
In accompaniment with the exhibition held by the NationalGallery of Canada comes Gustav Klimt: Modernism in the Making.This powerhouse of a book spans the life and work of the famous Austrian painter who is well-known, even now, for his dramatic work, "The Kiss." This beautiful tome includes four chapters, by four different art historians, on the background and importance of Klimt's work, plus two sections devoted to the works in the exhibition, including a page of detailed commentary on each of the paintings.

As a student, Klimt was trained in the decorative arts. He quicklybecame known for his blending of both high and low art styles, a rathercontroversial movement at the turn of the century. His graphic shapesand colors became one of his signatures and hold his paintings togetherlike sublime art nouveau glue. Though popular enough at the time to have been commissioned to create murals and friezes for grand buildings, Klimt did not escape public criticism for the heavy sexual content of his work. Klimt's symbolic paintings about life and death are full of images of nude women, young, old or pregnant, and couples and groups intertwined. These colorful, sensual, and elegant paintings remain fascinating symbols of fin-de-siècle Europe. --J.P. Cohen ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

My impression
I only have had time to briefly go throughtthe whole book. Based on the the overall first impression, it is a book I will be using a lot as a reference. There are many variety of subjects and different techniques that will be very helpful for me to check back on as I am working on my own work. I am very happy that I buy this book.

Life and work
I really enjoyed the book. Biography and work are handled in a well-balanced way, and the evolution of Klimt's art is linked to his life. The book has several articles, but the sense of unity is kept. The reproductions have good quality (the standard one in these types of books), and it is easy to understand for amateurs. I think it is a recommendable book if you like symbolism and modernism, and also if you would like to have a portrait of Vienna at the beginning of the 20th century.

Beautiful -- just don't let aunt Sally find it!
Frank Whitford's biography is a more comprehensive examination of the social/cultural perspective. Other books examine Klimt's portraits of women and Klimt's landscapes in greater sophistication. The dust jacket, a tension-infused portrait of his friend and muse, "told" me this is a fair and balanced examination of his works and of his views of art.It is. Beware: some material is not appropriate for young children -- and offensive to conservative relatives. ... Read more