Gustav Klimt: Landscapes [Hardcover]

Christian Huemer (Author), Peter Peer (Author), Verena Perlhefter (Author), Carl E. Schorske (Author), Erhard Stöbe (Author), Anselm Wagner (Author), Stephan Koja (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2002

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 also represent an important facet of his career. Accompanied by essays from scholars, the images reproduced in this book comprise all extant landscapes by Klimt. These paintings demonstrate a little-known aspect of the painter's oeuvre and reveal themes that appeared throughout his life's work.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

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.

About the Author

Stephan Koja is curator at the Oesterreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna, Austria. He was the editor of "Claude Monet" and "America: The New World in 19th-Century Painting" (Prestel).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Prestel; 1st edition (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3791326775
• ISBN-13: 978-3791326771
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,001,678 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars highly recommended, January 19, 2008

By 

D. Pipes (usa) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Gustav Klimt: Landscapes (Paperback)

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.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gustav Klimt: Landscapes, February 7, 2007

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Z. Edelson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gustav Klimt: Landscapes (Paperback)

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.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Klimt for Klimt, February 18, 2008

By 

maxson (kaintuck) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Gustav Klimt: Landscapes (Paperback)

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.