The series “𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀” puts into perspective a range of closely related or not aspects of classical music in the contemporary context and in relation to a set of continually evolving paradigms.

The itinerant exhibition comprises 15 panels and presents the main stages of Gustav Klimt’s life and work, including the period when he painted the works that decorate Peleș Castle. The exhibition is offered in Romania by the Austrian Cultural Forum and was carried out at the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria. The curator of the exhibition is Sandra Tretter.

The vernissage of the exhibition “Gustav Klimt: Precursor of Modernity” will take place on Thursday, March 2, starting at 2:00 PM, at Braunstein Palace. The presentation will be given by Andrei Popov, Deputy Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum.

About the exhibition:

The exhibition “Gustav Klimt: Precursor of Modernity” focuses on the most important milestones in the artist’s career. Alongside Josef Hoffmann, Otto Wagner, Joseph Maria Olbrich, Richard Gerstl, Egon Schiele, and Oskar Kokoschka, Gustav Klimt (1862 – 1918) is an exponent of a fascinating era, the echoes of which are still felt today.

Gustav Klimt left his mark on his hometown, Vienna. Hailing from a modest family in a Viennese rural suburb, his father, Ernst Klimt, was an engraver. This might have been Gustav’s path as well if he hadn’t attended the School of Applied Arts at the Imperial and Royal Museum for Art and Industry (now known as the University of Applied Arts), where he was admitted at the age of only fourteen.

The radical transition to the Austrian Art Nouveau style occurred in the late 1890s, culminating in the iconic painting “The Kiss” from 1907, the centerpiece of the painting gallery at Belvedere Palace. Famous primarily for his allegorical paintings and portraits of women, Klimt turned to landscape painting later in his career. Among the approximately two hundred and fifty known paintings by Klimt, numerous landscapes are found, mostly painted in the Atter Lake region, where Klimt spent his summers until 1916. Starting in 1899, Klimt’s landscapes were exclusively painted in square format, illustrating lakes, swamps, blooming country gardens, and views from deep within the forest.

From the multitude of nude sketches born in the painter’s studio, around four thousand works are preserved, mostly drawings and a few watercolors. Egon Schiele’s obituary remains a fine observation of his artistic journey: “Gustav Klimt/ An artist of incredible perfection/ A man of rare depth/ His work, a sanctuary.” – Egon.