Seite 39

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Belvedere Collection, where we uncover the intimate workings of Gustav Klimt's creative mind. *Seite 39* (Page 39), from 1898, is a page from a compact red leather-bound sketchbook measuring just 14.3 × 9.2 × 1.4 cm. This unassuming artifact captures pencil drawings, handwritten notes, and a black-and-white photograph—revealing Klimt's preparatory process during a pivotal year. Fresh from co-founding the Vienna Secession in 1897, Klimt was challenging academic traditions, blending symbolism and sensuality in his emerging Art Nouveau style. These sketches exemplify Klimt's meticulous technique: fluid pencil lines likely exploring figures, patterns, or compositions that would evolve into his iconic paintings. The inclusion of a photograph hints at his innovative use of photography as reference, a modern tool amid fin-de-siècle Vienna's artistic ferment. Notes scrawled alongside offer glimpses into his thoughts, bridging the gap between idea and masterpiece. As a rare surviving sketchbook page, *Seite 39* humanizes the gold-leaf maestro, showing the humble origins of his opulent works. It underscores Klimt's role in Vienna's cultural renaissance, inviting us to appreciate the artist's hand before the grandeur.

About the Artist

Gustav Klimt · 1862–1918

Gustav Klimt was born on July 14, 1862, in Baumgarten near Vienna, the second of seven children in a modest family of artistic bent. His father, Ernst Klimt, a gold engraver who had immigrated from Bohemia, and his mother, Anna Finster, an aspiring musician, instilled an early appreciation for craft and creativity amid financial hardship. Klimt displayed prodigious drawing talent, prompting his en...