Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) was the most important artist of his epoch, a celebrated and controversial pioneer of Viennese Modernism around 1900. Like no other painter, Klimt focused on portraying the feminine in all of its facets. Women inspired him to create the bold, daring images that became Art Nouveau gems. Klimt conjured up a new image of women, full of fin de siècle spirit and characterized by the burgeoning atmosphere of the new twentieth century. Replete with sensuality, eroticism, and ecstasy, he created mythic heroines, elegant portraits of refined Viennese society ladies, and erotic drawings of young nudes. Klimt's eternal obsession led to countless scandals with women, and the book recounts these stories, as well. Language: German