After Gustav Klimt

Throughout his final decade of life, Gustav Klimt oversaw the creation of this graphic masterpiece, Das Werk. The set of 50 collotypes after his most celebrated paintings was published by his dear friend, the Viennese publisher Hugo Heller, under close supervision by the artist himself. Intended to advertise his work to a broader audience, the monograph was issued in a total edition of 300. Numbered ‘LVI’, the present set is a deluxe example with Klimt’s facsimile signature on the title page, as well as the ten collotypes printed in colours. Each sheet also bears a unique, customized gold signet, all of which the artist designed from 1908–1914. Complete examples of this work are very scarce today, as Klimt tragically died shortly after its completion, and Heller’s company later went into bankruptcy. Many monographs were subsequently lost or split, though several complete portfolios have been identified in the collections of esteemed connoisseurs and artists, such as the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright.