The Klimt Reverie stay – this suite is the home of Gustav Klimt’s drawing masterpiece, “Seated Lady from the Front” (1913–1914), one of the first group of studies for the unfinished portrait Amalie Zuckerkandl (1917–1918).
In an unprecedented opportunity, a Gustav Klimt art piece is exhibited in a hotel suite exclusively for art enthusiasts to enjoy during their stay in Vienna. The experience includes a two-night stay to dive into Gustav Klimt’s life and works.
About the room:
About the painting:
In this drawing, Klimt merged the figure and the seat into a single unit, positioning the protagonist facing the viewer. The light evening coat, with its fur-trimmed sleeves, envelops the figure in a way that creates a sense of space. As a crucial step towards the ultimately unfinished portrait, Amalie Zuckerkandl is already depicted in this drawing with bare shoulders, a detail that was later impressively rendered in the painting.
Klimt was commissioned to paint Amalie’s portrait in 1913/1914. During those years, the master artist likely completed all areas visible today of the model’s face and shoulders. These parts have been worked on to perfection and are essentially finished. In terms of painting technique, the way in which Klimt meticulously brings out the contrast between Amalie’s bright complexion and her dark, fashionably styled hair and eccentric black collar with white lace tied back in a bow is particularly sophisticated.
The finished painting is currently exhibited at the Belvedere Museum, an exclusive Almanac Palais Vienna partner, and all guests can access Belvedere 21 by showing their Almanac room key.
About the artist:
Toward the end of the 19th century, Vienna grew into a metropolis. Numerous artists were engaged in creating decorative schemes for the grand buildings of the Ringstrasse, one of these to be the majestic Palais Henckel von Donnersmarck and Palais Leithenberger—now the Almanac Palais Vienna. This flourishing of the arts paved the way to the foundation of the famous Vienna Secession. Gustav Klimt was already Vienna’s most acclaimed painter. He was celebrated for his distinctive use of gold leaf and intricate patterns. His iconic works, such as “The Kiss,” explore themes of love, beauty, and sensuality, leaving an indelible mark on both modern art and Viennese culture.
