Seite 1 (Leerseite)
1898
Medium
In rotes Leder gebundenes Büchlein, Zeichnungen und Notizen mit Bleistift und ein Schwarzweiß-Foto
Dimensions
Skizzenbuch: 14,3 × 9,2 × 1,4 cm
Classification
Skizzenbuch
Department
Belvedere Collection
Museum
Belvedere
Credit
Belvedere, Vienna
Accession Number
8508/3
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
**Seite 1 (Leerseite) by Gustav Klimt (1898)** Step into the intimate world of Gustav Klimt *Seite 1 (Leerseite)*, the opening page of a compact red leather-bound sketchbook from the Belvedere Collection in Vienna. Measuring just 14.3 × 9.2 × 1.4 cm, this petite volume (14.3 × 9.2 × 1.4 cm) captures the artist's preliminary thoughts through pencil drawings, handwritten notes and a single black-and-white photograph. Titled "Page 1 (Blank Page)," it intriguingly begins with emptiness, inviting us to ponder the creative spark that follows. Created in 1898, mere months after Klimt co-founded the Vienna Secession—a revolutionary movement breaking from academic traditions toward Art Nouveau's ornate, symbolic style—this sketchbook reflects a pivotal moment. Klimt, renowned for gilded masterpieces like *The Kiss*, used such personal notebooks to experiment freely, blending fluid lines and erotic motifs with everyday observations. The inclusion of a photograph hints at his innovative fusion of media, foreshadowing modern collage techniques. As a rare glimpse into Klimt's process, this artifact underscores the sketchbook's role in artistic gestation. Held in Vienna's Belvedere, it reminds visitors that genius often starts on humble, pocket-sized pages—blank canvases pregnant with possibility.
About the Artist
Gustav Klimt · 1862–1918
Austrian painter and designer. One of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement, known for his decorative style and use of gold leaf.