Gustav Klimt Portraits

From Tate Liverpool:
Klimt painted portraits throughout his career. Even his early works displayed a contrast between naturalistic representation of his subject and the flat, two-dimensional background against which the sitter is set. His portrait of Joseph Pembauer, for example, places a realistic likeness of the pianist in front of a flat backdrop decorated with a lyre, symbolizing music. The golden frame, characteristic of the artist, was made specifically for this work and is also decorated with emblems relating to the arts.
In later portraits, this tension between realism and flat ornamental areas became even more pronounced. The parts of the subject that reveal character and individuality, such as face and hands, were painted naturalistically and almost set like jewels against the rest of the body which was treated as a flat, elaborately patterned surface.
This style was highly appropriate for his portraits of Viennese society ladies. The rich, luxurious treatment of their gowns and accessories gave them an aura of wealth, distancing them from everyday life. He further enhanced this feeling of superiority by lengthening their bodies and viewing the subject from below.
Klimt has often been criticized for capturing the feeling of the age rather than the character of his sitter.

Portrait of a Girl, Head Slightly Turned Left Portrait of a man with beard 1879 Portrait of a man with beard in three quarter profil 1879 Savoyen Boy 1882 Portrait of Clara Klimt 1883
Portrait of a Girl,
Head Slightly
Turned Left
1879		 Portrait of a man
with beard
1879		 Portrait of a man
with beard in
three quarter profil
1879		 Savoyen Boy
1882		 Portrait of
Clara Klimt
1883
Portrait of Joseph Pembauer 1890 Emilie Flöge, Aged 17 1891 Portrait of Emilie Flöge 1893 Portrait of a lady 1894 Portrait of Marie Breunig 1894
Portrait of
Joseph Pembauer
1890		 Emilie Flöge,
Aged 17
1891		 Portrait of
Emilie Flöge
1893		 Portrait
of a lady
1894		 Portrait
of Marie Breunig
1894
Josef Lewinsky 1895 Girl in the countryside 1896 Blind Man 1896 Portrait of Helene Klimt 1898 Sonja Knips 1898
Josef Lewinsky
1895		 Girl in the
countryside
1896		 Blind Man
1896		 Portrait of
Helene Klimt
1898		 Sonja Knips
1898
Portrait of a Woman 1899 Portrait of Serena Lederer 1899 Portrait of Rose von Rosthorn-Friedmann 1901 Portrait of Gertha Felssovanyi 1902 Portrait of a Girl 1902
Portrait of a Woman
1899		 Portrait of
Serena Lederer
1899		 Portrait of Rose
von Rosthorn-Friedmann
1901		 Portrait of
Gertha Felssovanyi
1902		 Portrait of a Girl
1902
Portrait of Emilie Flöge 1902 Portrait of Marie Henneberg 1902 Portrait of Hermine Gallia 1904 Portrait of Margaret Stonborough-Wittgenstein 1905 Portrait of Fritza Riedler 1906
Portrait of
Emilie Flöge
1902		 Portrait of
Marie Henneberg
1902		 Portrait of
Hermine Gallia
1904		 Portrait of Margaret
Stonborough-Wittgenstein
1905		 Portrait of
Fritza Riedler
1906
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer 1907 Lady with Hat and Feather Boa 1909 The Black Feather Hat 1910 Mada Primavesi 1912 Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer 1912
Portrait of Adele
Bloch-Bauer
1907		 Lady with Hat
and Feather Boa
1909		 The Black
Feather Hat
1910		 Mada Primavesi
1912		 Portrait of
Adele Bloch-Bauer
1912
Portrait Of Eugenia Primavesi 1913 Portrait of Charlotte Pulitzer 1915 Portrait of Barbara Flöge. Mother of Emilie Flöge 1915 The Dancer, formerly Ria Munk 1916 Lady with a muff 1916
Portrait Of
Eugenia Primavesi
1913		 Portrait of
Charlotte Pulitzer
1915		 Portrait of
Barbara Flöge. Mother of Emilie Flöge
1915		 The Dancer,
formerly Ria Munk
1916		 Lady with a muff
1916
Portrait of Friederike Maria Beer 1916 Portrait of Baroness Elisabeth Bachofen-Echt 1916 Portrait of a Lady 1917 Amalie Zuckerkandl 1918 Lady with Fan 1918
Portrait of
Friederike Maria Beer
1916		 Portrait of Baroness
Elisabeth Bachofen-Echt
1916		 Portrait of
a Lady
1917		 Amalie Zuckerkandl
1918		 Lady with Fan
1918
Portrait of a Lady, unfinished 1918 Portrait of a Lady in White, unfinished 1918 Portrait of Johanna Staude 1918 Portrait of Maria Munk, unfinished 1918
Portrait of a Lady,
unfinished
1918		 Portrait of a Lady in White,
unfinished
1918		 Portrait of
Johanna Staude
1918		 Portrait of
Maria Munk,
unfinished
1918