Portrait of Josef Pembaur
1890
Long before he painted 'The Kiss,' Gustav Klimt created this intense portrait of pianist Josef Pembaur, wrapping him in a frame that looks like a medieval manuscript come to life. The date 1890 is proudly displayed in Roman numerals above Pembaur's head, while the golden border is a treasure trove of musical symbols, including a Greek muse strumming a lyre on the right. It’s a perfect example of Klimt’s early Symbolist style, treating a modern musician with the reverence usually reserved for saints, complete with a halo of stars and mysterious faces at the bottom.
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