Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I
Gustav Klimt · 1907
Why it's great
A fashionable Viennese lady sits in a glimmering swirl of gold, patterns and eyes, with only her face and hands painted realistically. Klimt covered the canvas in gold leaf, like a Byzantine mosaic. During World War II the painting was taken from its owners, and decades later her family won it back in a famous legal case. Its story is as dramatic as its sparkle.
Where to see it
📍 Neue GalerieNew York City, United States
Open in Maps ↗Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Gustav Klimt was born near Vienna, Austria, the son of a gold engraver, which may be why gold glitters in so many of his paintings. He lived his entire life in and around Vienna and co-founded the Vienna Secession, a group of artists who broke from tradition. He painted beautiful portraits, murals, and landscapes. He died in 1918 at age 55 after a stroke.
