The undeniable popularity of Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) proves not only the special appeal of his rich painting but also the universal themes he worked with: love, female beauty, aging, and death. As the son of a gold engraver, Klimt created surfaces with decorative and radiant beauty, influenced by Egyptian and Japanese art. Through paintings, murals, and friezes, his work is characterized by vibrant colors, fluid lines, plant elements, and mosaic-like patterns. With themes ranging from sensuality and desire to agony and despair, emotion also permeates this iridescent appearance. The numerous images of women by Klimt, characterized by curvaceous forms, tender skin, red lips, and rosy cheeks, charged with passion, were created at a time when immediate eroticism was still taboo in Vienna's upper middle class. This book presents a selection of Klimt's work, introducing his visual world of decoration and desire, as well as his influence on future artists.