Gustav Klimt (24)
Gustav Klimt—an artist who practically defined the word “extra.” If art were a high-fashion runway, Klimt would be strutting down it in gold leaf, sensual portraits, and swirls of decorative patterns that scream "I'm here for the drama." Born in 1862, this Austrian painter took the late 19th and early 20th centuries by storm, and he did it in a way that made everyone take notice.
Known for his symbolist works and association with the Vienna Secession movement, Klimt was a master of making the human figure look, well, glamorous—whether it was a woman wrapped in an intricate golden robe (The Kiss) or a portrait of a society lady dripping with opulence. But don’t think Klimt was all about fluff and frills. Beneath the lavish layers of paint and gold leaf, his work explored some pretty complex themes like love, sexuality, and the subconscious—nothing like the shallow beauty it sometimes appears to be at first glance.
Klimt’s most famous work, The Kiss, is essentially the art world’s version of a romantic fairy tale, where gold leaf practically oozes from the canvas, and two figures are locked in a passionate embrace. It’s so lavishly beautiful, you’d almost think it was too perfect—until you realize Klimt loved getting up close and personal with his subjects. His Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (aka The Woman in Gold) was so stunningly opulent that it would make even the most stoic of art critics reach for their sunglasses.
Now, Klimt wasn't just about the ladies in golden robes. His Tree of Life is all about intricate, swirly patterns and cosmic themes that make you wonder if he was secretly a psychedelic artist ahead of his time. Yet, for all the swirls of gold, Klimt had a touch of scandal about him—his sensual works were often considered racy, and he had a reputation for painting women in ways that made Victorian-era society clutch its pearls.
