Gustav Klimt (Baumgarten, now part of Vienna), July 14, 1862 - Vienna, February 6, 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter, muralist and draughtsman. He is considered the most prominent member of the Vienna Secession, of which he was also president for some time. Characteristic of his later works, with which he became best known, is the decorative ornamentalism (in which he often worked with gold leaf) and the suggestive erotic symbolism. He made his name primarily with his portraits of women and allegorical works, but also painted a large number of landscapes. Klimt's art emerged during an artistic heyday in belle époque Vienna and is often associated with the art nouveau and art nouveau movements. His oeuvre is considered to exemplify the tension that existed at the time between conservationism and the urge for progress.
