Gerbert Frodl

A beautifully illustrated biography of the golden boy of Vienna's turn-of-the-century ``golden age'' of art, literature, and culture. This book, which features Klimt's most famous works as well as photographs of the artist and his circle, will make enjoyable reading for students of art and European cultural history.

While there have been a number of books and exhibition catalogs on Klimt, most are in a foreign language or concentrate on specific aspects of his work, such as landscapes or drawings. Frodl's overview is therefore welcome. The multitude of dazzlingly colored plates, each revealing a new aspect of Klimt's smolderingly sensual art, tends to overshadow the text. However, this monograph is a happy synthesis of art historical appraisal, social commentary, and reflection on the life and works of one of Austria's most famous native sons. Translated from the German, Frodl's narrative interweaves the story of Klimt's career with the heady years of the Vienna Secession. The book's ideas and images are almost too rich--the author's multistrand approach can be somewhat confusing. Specialists will feel right at home, but the general reader might prefer the straightforward tone of Alessandra Comini's Gustav Klimt.… (mere)