The feminine world
The work of the great Austrian symbolist
Gustav Klimt’s ornate art expresses the apocalyptic atmosphere of Vienna’s upper middle-class society around the turn of the 20th century—a society devoted to the cultivation of aesthetic awareness and the cult of pleasure.
The ecstatic joy which Klimt (1862–1918) 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. His drawings in particular, which have been widely admired for their artistic excellence, are dominated by the sensual portrayal of women.
The ecstatic joy which Klimt (1862–1918) 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. His drawings in particular, which have been widely admired for their artistic excellence, are dominated by the sensual portrayal of women.
About the Series:
Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Art Series features:
Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Art Series features:
- a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance
- a concise biography
- approximately 100 colour illustrations with explanatory captions
The author:
Gilles Néret (1933–2005) was an art historian, journalist, writer and museum correspondent. He organized several art retrospectives in Japan and founded the SEIBU museum and the Wildenstein Gallery in Tokyo. He directed art reviews such as L'Œil and Connaissance des Arts and received the Elie Faure Prize in 1981 for his publications. His TASCHEN titles include Salvador Dalí: The Paintings, Matisse, and Erotica Universalis.
Gilles Néret (1933–2005) was an art historian, journalist, writer and museum correspondent. He organized several art retrospectives in Japan and founded the SEIBU museum and the Wildenstein Gallery in Tokyo. He directed art reviews such as L'Œil and Connaissance des Arts and received the Elie Faure Prize in 1981 for his publications. His TASCHEN titles include Salvador Dalí: The Paintings, Matisse, and Erotica Universalis.
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Klimt |
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Gustav Klimt. The Complete Paintings Hardcover, 11.4 x 15.6 in., 676 pages, $ 200 Looking at Klimt in a whole new light: a groundbreaking monograph |
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Coming soon Klimt - 2014 Diary, hardcover, clothbound, 4.8 x 6.5 in., 128 pages, $ 17.99 Organized and duly noted... TASCHEN's Small Cloth Calendar. Klimt 2014 |