Gustav Klimt

1862-1918 · Austrian (Vienna) · Art Nouveau / Vienna Secession

Known for: Creator of The Kiss and golden, erotically charged paintings that defined turn-of-century Vienna

Klimt led the Vienna Secession and created The Kiss and Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I - paintings fusing Byzantine gold, Japanese prints, and frank eroticism into overwhelming decorative beauty.

He was a large, bearish man who wore caftans in his studio, fathered at least 14 children by various women, and died during the Spanish flu at 55. 'All art is erotic,' he declared, and proved it.

Browse all 1,000 figures by category

Enable JavaScript to view the full "if they lived today" Q&A and personality profile.