Gustav Klimt was a famous Austrian artist born in 1862 who loved using real gold leaf and bright patterns in his paintings like The Kiss. He grew up very poor, wore long robes instead of fancy suits, and loved having cats around his art studio. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
He Loved Real Gold
- Klimt's father was a gold engraver, so young Gustav learned to love shiny things early on.
- During his famous "Golden Phase," he used real thin sheets of gold leaf in his artwork.
- His most famous painting, The Kiss, sparkles with gold squares and swirls.