Courtesy of the Neue Gallery. Adele Bloch-Bauer was a wealthy society woman, hostess of a renowned Viennese salon, art patron, and philanthropist. She supported socialist causes. When you are able to appreciate the great works of artβof fine art and poetic artβwith understanding, you will also be able to evaluate people and judge whether they belong to the worthy or the worthless in quality. Upon becoming acquainted with Adele Bloch-Bauer, a wealthy society woman and hostess of a renowned Viennese Salon at the beginning of the twentieth century, one easily understands why art and life seemed to blend together in her eyes.
Her father was the general director of the influential Viennese Bank association and the president of the Orient railway company. When she was sixteen her sheltered world was shaken by the early death of her much loved older brother Karl Presumably it was the trauma of his death that caused her to distance herself from religion.
Adele and Ferdinand had no surviving children. In February , she had a stillborn girl, and in early October she gave birth to boy called Fritz, who died within a day of his birth. These personal tragic events may have influenced the manner in which artist Klimt chose to eternalize Bloch-Bauer in his two majestic portraits of her, but they have only recently been taken into consideration in art historical research.
The portrait was exhibited in public only early in Bloch-Bauer is sitting upright on a golden throne. She appears as the modern icon of a grande dame.
The starry golden sky background complements her rich golden robe, which flows with the fervent movement of erotic symbols such as triangles, eggs, and eyes, hinting at a possible intimate relationship between the artist and his model. He continued working on the painting after her tragic loss.
