Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) (after) - "Dánae, 1907-08"

- Gustav Klimt (after), offset lithograph on matte textured paper (300gsm approx.).

- Stamp on verso.

- Signed in the plate.

- Embossed stamp.

- Condition: very good. Never framed, never exposed.

- Size of each: 43 x 45 cm

- Gustav Klimt was one of the most celebrated and influential painters of the early 20th century, a central figure of the Vienna Secession movement and a master of Symbolist sensuality. His art combined opulent decorative patterning with psychological depth, exploring themes of femininity, desire, life, and death through a distinctive fusion of realism and ornament.

Born in Baumgarten, near Vienna, Klimt was trained as a decorative artist and began his career creating architectural murals. By the turn of the century, he had rejected academic traditions and developed his unmistakable style an exquisite synthesis of gold leaf, mosaic-like surfaces, erotic symbolism, and allegorical imagery. His “Golden Period,” spanning roughly from 1903 to 1909, produced many of his most iconic works, including The Kiss and Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I.

Among the masterpieces of this period is Danaë (1907–1908), one of Klimt’s most intimate and sensuous compositions. The piece portrays the mythological princess Danaë, impregnated by Zeus in the form of a shower of golden rain. Klimt transforms the classical myth into a private dreamscape: the figure’s curled pose, flushed face, and flowing hair express rapture and vulnerability, while the cascading gold patterns envelop her in divine energy. The fusion of eroticism and symbolism, together with Klimt’s use of golden color and rich textural contrasts, exemplifies his unique ability to merge sensual and spiritual experience.

In the international art market, Gustav Klimt’s paintings rank among the most valuable works ever sold. His Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907) achieved $135 million in 2006, one of the highest prices in history for a painting. Other masterpieces, such as Birch Forest and Water Serpents II, have sold for over $100 million, confirming Klimt’s elite position among the great masters of modern art. Even his drawings and lesser-known oils routinely command six- to seven-figure sums at major auctions.

Klimt’s art continues to fascinate collectors and scholars alike for its fusion of erotic beauty, psychological depth, and decorative sophistication. Danaë (1907–1908) remains a quintessential example of his vision a timeless embodiment of sensuality, myth, and transcendence.

Artists of similar importance: Picasso, Hockney, Lichtenstein, Warhol, Banksy, Brainwash, Delaunay, Nara, Soulages, Lagasse, Ramos, Coa, Dior, Vuitton, Lautrec, Basquiat, Hirst, Chagall, Koons, Haring, Indiana, Mondrian, Groening, Richter, Monroe, Herrera, Laurent, Klein, Kusama, Murakami, Testa, Villemot, Oldenburg, Hopper, Ripolles, Wesselmann, Magritte, Jenk, Orlinski, Wille, Rizzi, Manara, Thiebaud, Kaws, Valentino, Cappiello, Rothko, Dalí, among others.