Gustav Klimt essays

Gustav Klimt essays Like many prominent artistic figures of the day, Gustave Klimt was mostly misunderstood during his time, but is now recognized as one of the most beloved today. Many of us have been exposed to his masterpieces and enjoyed them without knowing his name, but it is certain that his extraordinary use of gold and silver leaf remains memorable. Little is known about his life, but what historians have learned makes for an interesting story of an elusive man. Gustave Klimt, as the second eldest among seven, was born in a suburban area southeast of Vienna on July 14, 1862. His family had little money to live on, let alone raise seven children, but they remained ambitious. Rather than send Klimt to a modest Brgerschule a basic school that offered a mediocre future, they whisked him off to the Knstgewerbeschule a school for the arts once they recognized his remarkable talent in drawing. At the Kunstgewerbeschule, he started with a very basic foundation in the arts at the beginning, but quickly surpassed both his peers and the limitations of a standard class. Once, his teachers recognized his talents, they accelerated his learning by commissioning his help on their own projects or other paid work. Eventually, Klimt joined up with his older brother, Ernst, and a friend, Matsch, to create the Knstlercompagnie, or the Company of Artists. They organized themselves to do all sorts of work for money for absolutely anyone who asked from painting jars to creating portraits. By 1892, the Company had a beautiful reputation. Unfortunately, things took a sudden turn for the worst for young Gustav. During mid-year of 1892, his father passed away. Not long after, Ernst passes away as well after a series of illnesses, forcing Klimt alone to support his remaining family. Not long after, Klimt suffered a creative crisis and produced little work (Whitford 46). Following,...