Gustav Klimt (GUUS-tahf klimt), perhaps best known for his controversial style, came from humble beginnings and was trained in the classical style. After years as an architectural painter of murals throughout Vienna, he was criticized for his overtly erotic style. This criticism constitutes a turning point in his career. He then revised his own sense of artistic value, which ultimately led him to move from the conservative academic art world to self-discovery with an inventive and versatile style that is intact to this day. Born July 14, 1862 in Baumgarden, Austria, near Vienna. , Gustav Klimt was the second of seven children. His father, Ernst Klimt, was a poor gold engraver from Bohemia. His father's craft would later prove to have a great influence in the highly ornamental style that Klimt would later adopt. In 1876, at the age of fourteen, Klimt began studying at the School of Decorative Arts in Vienna where he learned various techniques, including mosaic and fresco. and architectural painting. His early works represented typical academic painting of the 19th century, notably his murals for the Burgtheater in Vienna and the staircase of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. In 1894, after painting the first of a series of murals commissioned for the University of Vienna, Klimt was criticized for his erotic symbolism and accused of resorting to excessive perversion. Along with the deaths of his father and brother Ernst, this backlash proved a pivotal moment in his career in which he chose artistic freedom over public approval. Klimt soon began collaborating with other artists to revolt the narrow academic views of his critics and began a revolution in artistic style and expression. In 1897, Gustav Klimt founded the Vienna Seze...... middle of paper.... .. although employing a familiar subject (the female form), shows the transformation from mosaics laden with gilded embellishments to a brighter color palette and the use of stronger, bolder lines. This piece illustrates his versatility as an artist. On February 6, 1918, Gustav Klimt died of pneumonia, just one month after suffering a stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body. Klimt was quoted as saying: “Anyone who wants to know something about me – as an artist, the only notable thing – should look carefully at my photos and try to see in them what I am and what I want to do. » If we follow his instructions, we will undoubtedly appreciate the passion and creativity he had for every genre of artistic expression. His talent proved limitless while pushing societal norms and transforming and expanding his craft in ways that exceeded everyone's expectations..