Klimt

I read a little book about Gustav Klimt; interesting life.  He lived at home with his mother and sister, never married.  He was a smart man, but quiet, and seemed to stay out of scandals, except of course those created by his original paintings.  He had a studio, where he worked most of his time.  He had lots of models, who spent the days with him at the studio.  He was a nice man, and the models were completely at ease with him.  They wallowed around all day, clothed or unclothed, and allowed him to paint them, whenever he caught them in a pose of interest or a moment of ecstasy.

Gustav Klimt Portrait of Eugenia (Mäda)Primavesi(1912)

He had a couple serious relationships, but not a lot is known about them.  Some of his models probably had children by him, and he accepted them.  One story tells that when a model didn't show up for work, he demanded someone to search for her; she reported that she did not show up because she was pregnant, Klimt had her come to work anyways, and she is probably the model in many of his paintings of pregnant women.  Interesting also, is that in most of his preparatory drawings and sketches, the women are naked, however, in the final works, their bodies are covered up with his delicate designs.

Klimt also painted many portraits, in which he kept very true to his style, even though he tried to adhere to the person's taste.  In these portraits though, we see more emphasis on personality, than in some of his leisure works.  This one, of Eugenia Primavesi, is a stark contrast to Klimt's relaxed females, but it strikes me with it's beauty and sense of confrontation.