Exhibition Golden Boy Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) is one of the most fascinating artists of western art history. He is world-famous for his golden and decorative paintings and his portraits of strong women. But who was this ‘golden boy’, and what is the story behind his talent? You perhaps know Klimt’s work, but have you actually seen it?
- ExhibitionGolden Boy Gustav Klimt. Inspired by Van Gogh, Rodin, Matisse…
- From7 October 2022
- Until8 January 2023
Golden Boy Gustav Klimt. Inspired by Van Gogh, Rodin, Matisse… explores how Klimt developed his unique style and how the Austrian artist was inspired by the work of Van Gogh, Toorop, Rodin, Whistler, Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet, Matisse and many other artists.
New research has revealed which artists influenced Klimt, and which he admired. Klimt co-founded the Vienna Secession art society, where European modern art was exhibited for the first time in 1898. From then on, each exhibition organised by the society offered Klimt a new wave of inspiration and creativity.
Gustav Klimt in 1902
Iconic masterpieces
Dozens of Klimt’s iconic masterpieces are on display in this large-scale exhibition: from decorative landscape paintings and powerful figure drawings to monumental, colourful female portraits such as Judith (1901), Emilie Flöge (1902) and spectacular paintings such as Water Serpents II (1904/1906-07).
One of the highlights of the exhibition is the life-sized reproduction of the Beethoven Frieze. Klimt presented this mural in the Secession in 1902 as an homage to Symphony No. 9 by Beethoven, the definitive cult figure of the new generation. The monumental Beethoven Frieze represents the start of Klimt’s ‘golden period’, in which he used gold leaf in his paintings.
Bas van Beek inspired by…
Designer and artist Bas van Beek (1974) was inspired by Klimt’s expressive style to create a space especially for the exhibition with various patterns.
Van Beek has also developed a ‘Klimt vocabulary’, a form language based on the decorations in Klimt’s paintings. This colourful vocabulary has been printed on stickers, so you yourself can compose new patterns on the staircase walls.
Gallery texts
The gallery texts for this exhibition are now also available in an accessible PDF. Prefer not to read from a screen? A booklet with the collated gallery texts, printed in large font, is available at the Information Desk in the Entrance Hall.
Download the gallery textsPDF, 1.6 MB
Gustav Klimt, Judith, 1901, Belvedere, Vienna
Multimedia guide
The exhibition’s accompanying multimedia guide gives you an even closer look at Klimt’s artworks and those of the progressive artists who inspired him. Available in 11 languages.
Simply book the multimedia guide at the same time as your online ticket for only € 3.50.
Guided tours
Join a guided tour and find out more about the impressive talent of Gustav Klimt. Book a private guided tour for your group in advance, or join an on the day guided tour on Wednesdays and Sundays, which you can reserve at the museum on the day of your visit.
Find out more about the guided tours
Gustav Klimt, Water Serpents II, 1904/1906-07, private collection, courtesy of HomeArt
Catalogue
The richly illustrated catalogue offers the first comprehensive survey of Gustav Klimt in the context of the artists who inspired him. Klimt inspired by Van Gogh, Rodin, Matisse is available at the museum shop and online webstore, in English and Dutch from 7 October 2022.
Collaboration
The exhibition is a collaboration with the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, which is home to the world’s largest collection of oil paintings by Gustav Klimt. Klimt. Inspired by Van Gogh, Rodin, Matisse… will be on display at the Belvedere from 3 February to 29 May 2023.
Visit the Belvedere Museum’s website
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4K Tour
Wander through the exhibition free from fellow visitors and search your favourite painting.
](Van Gogh Museum 4K Virtual Tour || Exhibition ‘Golden Boy Gustav Klimt' - YouTube)
With thanks to
This exhibition is supported by:
This exhibition has been made possible in cooperation with Rosaline Wong and HomeArt.
The exhibition was awarded an indemnity by the Cultural Heritage Agency, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
