Rainer Metzger

Most of the art books about Gustav Klimt focus on his paintings - both landscapes and portraits predominantly, with mention of his friezes - but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book focused on the sketches. The whole point of most artist's work are the final, finished paintings, but without the preliminary sketches they may never reach thse final masterpieces. By showcasing the plethora of Klimt's studio sketches Metzger is able to delve into his artistic processes, discussing the hedonistic atmosphere of his studio, the male erotic gaze (a predominant theme in Klimt's work), and hte contrasts between his various artistic phases (both finished and in situ). Most of the time I can't be bothered with the author's commentary, choosing instead to consume the artwork wholesale, but Metzger's text engages decently with the artwork and he keeps his language from being too academic. At times his discussion is a little overly detailed when discussing the artistic social atmosphere during Klimt's lifetime, but these details do give a more personal touch by engaging with the primary sources who were speaking about Klimt and his artwork during his lifetime. My only real criticism of this book is that the sheer volume of material becomes slightly monotonous after a while - there's only so many butts and naked ladies I need to see, even if each of the sketches are wonderful in their own regard.… (altro)