Gustav Klimt – Judith (1901)

Louisiana poster with the work, Judith, (1901), by the Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) . With Louisiana's exhibition, Vienna 1900 - Art and Design, in 1991, for the first time in Scandinavia, one could see a comprehensive presentation of the breakthrough of modern art in Vienna around the year 1900 – including not least the visual arts, of which Gustav Klimt was one of the central exponents during the period.

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Judith is a depiction of the biblical figure holding the head of Holofernes after having beheaded him. Beheadings were often portrayed in post-Renaissance art, and Klimt himself painted a version 2 of the subject in 1909.

Klimt also painted landscapes, but among his most prominent works are portraits – and almost exclusively of women. He was preoccupied with surfaces, skin, the clothes around the body, the woman's hair, a tribute to passion and eroticism, many believe.

Klimt was never interested in exposing his personality in the painter's self-representation. Here he was in direct contrast to, for example, Edvard Munch, who expressed his tormented self in his pictures of women.

From a successful painter of architectural decorations early in his career, Klimt developed his more personal style, which was considered controversial – culminating in a planned series of pictures for the auditorium of the University of Vienna. The first picture from this was exhibited in 1900 and caused a great uproar with naked figures from the child to the old man in their struggle for life.

Klimt then encountered resistance to his art for the first time. Klimt had to withdraw and was not given any more public commissions. In return, the exhibition was overrun by 35,000 visitors.

About Louisiana | Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, established in 1958 by Knud W. Jensen, has housed exhibitions with some of the most renowned international artists, presenting an exhibition program that has resonated strongly with the public for over 6 decades.

The museum has earned a reputation as one of the world's most respected exhibition venues, celebrated for its stunning architecture and inviting atmosphere. At Louisiana, there is a deep-rooted belief that art should be accessible to all, offering experiences and visions that resonated with everyone. 

Forsyth is proud to represent a curated edit of Louisiana's renowned collection of exhibition posters and prints.