Some Gustav Klimt Drawings

Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) was never mentioned in the art history class I took many years ago. Now he is famous. That fame largely rests on his early 1900s "golden" period works such as "The Kiss," "Adela Block-Bauer," "Judith" and "Pallas Athene." His Wikipedia entry is here.

Klimt also made many drawings that have been preserved. They are mostly of women, a number of which are erotic. Some of the latter can be readily found on the Internet, but the selection below is of the safe-for-office-viewing variety.

The styles of his drawings tend to parallel those of the paintings he was making at about the same time. Those below are shown in approximate chronological order based of their styles.

Gallery

These first three drawings seem to be from the time Klimt's paintings were mostly conventional.

This was probably made in 1896 when his style began to move from conventionality.

He often put the greatest effort into faces.

Apparently a study for his 1902 Beethoven Frieze.

The signature block is the same as for the previous drawing.  The word nachlass refers to posthumous collection.

From his late period around the time of the Great War.

Another from that time.