Bust Portrait of a Young Lady with Hat and Cape in Profile from the Left, 1897/98

This rendering is one of a series of ladies’ portraits created around 1897/98, most of whose sitters remained anonymous. Many of these portraits highlight the autonomous, pictorial character of the depiction, in which the artist did not so much focus on the portrait aspect but on conveying a specific atmosphere. The work on paper from the Leopold Museum impresses with its plethora of design elements, ranging from dynamic hatching to pastel-like shimmering effects. A characteristic feature of the present work is the choice of a strict profile which is also typical for the many other portraits from this group. Gustav Klimt’s (1862–1918) decision to reproduce this work in the Secession’s magazine Ver Sacrum demonstrates that he was especially fond of this work. Another remarkable feature is the block signature using blue crayon, though this was likely added by the artist at a later date, as the reproduction in Ver Sacrum shows no signature.

FS