Emilie Flöge

This portrait of Klimt’s good friend Emilie, his sister in law’s sister, is now much appreciated but was considered a provocative and modernistic painting in its time. Being a member of ‘Sezession’, a Group which was involved with all the aspects of decorative art, Klimt was fascinated by the successful haute couture studio, run by the Flöge sisters in Vienna. The painting shows a sensitively painted portrait in sharp contrast with an excessively decorated garment, inspired by highly decorative Japanese stencils and Byzantine mosaics.
Height is 24 cm.