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Female Semi-Nude from the Right in Kneeling-Cowering Position. Study for Leda, 1913/14

Leopold Museum,
Vienna
Pencil on Japanese paper
37×56 cm

Artists

  • Gustav Klimt

    (Baumgarten near Vienna/Vienna 1862–1918 Vienna)

Unfortunately not on display at the moment
Along with the Leopold Museum’s drawing Seated Female Nude Leaning Forward, the present work, too, is an early study for the painting Leda. Though the drawing was created already in 1913/14, it largely anticipates the composition of the 1917 painting. Several details, such as the undulating and gentle profile of Leda’s back, which Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) highlighted in the drawing by means of a hatched contour, or the ornamented drapery billowing around the neck, reappear almost identically in the painted version. Klimt modified a similar motif in a miniature format in his sketchbook from the second half of 1917. This sketchbook also contains a first depiction, missing from previous studies, of the swan in the guise of which Zeus approached Leda.

FS

Object data

Artist/author
  • Gustav Klimt
Title
Female Semi-Nude from the Right in Kneeling-Cowering Position. Study for Leda
Date
1913/14
Art movement
Art Nouveau, Symbolism
Category
Graphic work
Material​/technique
Pencil on Japanese paper
Dimensions
37×56 cm
Signature
Stamp (faded) lower right: GUSTAV KLIMT NACHLASS
Credit line
Leopold Museum, Vienna
Inventory access
Contributed to the Leopold Museum-Privatstiftung in 1994
Selection of Reference works
  • Gustav Klimt. Jahrhundertkünstler, hrsg. von Hans-Peter Wipplinger/Sandra Tretter, Wien 2018 (Ausst.-Kat. Leopold Museum, Wien, 22.06.2018–04.11.2018).
  • Gustav Klimt. Die Sammlung im Leopold Museum, hrsg. von Tobias G. Natter/Elisabeth Leopold, Ostfildern 2013 (Bestandskatalog des Leopold Museum: Band 1).
  • Klimt persönlich. Bilder - Briefe - Einblicke, hrsg. von Tobias G. Natter/Franz Smola, Wien 2012 (Ausst.-Kat. Leopold Museum, Wien, 24.02.2012–27.08.2012).
  • Alice Strobl: Gustav Klimt. Die Zeichnungen 1912-1918, Salzburg 1984.
Catalogue raisonne
  • Strobl Bd. 3/1984: 2359
Keywords
semi-nudewoman/girlsquatting/crouching figure (fem.)pillowboth legs bent (fem.)head turned to the right

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Provenance

Provenance research
Leopold Museum i

Nachlass Gustav Klimt, Wien (1918); (1)
Unbekannter Privatbesitz;
Dr. Rudolf Leopold, Wien (vor 1962-1994); (2)
Leopold Museum-Privatstiftung, Wien (seit 1994).

  1. Nachlassstempel »GUSTAV / KLIMT / NACHLASS« auf der Vorderseite rechts unten.
  2. Sonja Niederacher, Gustav Klimt. Weiblicher Halbakt nacht rechts in kniend-kauernder Stellung. Studie zu „Leda“ 1913/14, Dossier vom 04.01.2016; Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Katalog zu: Gustav Klimt. 1862-1918. Zeichnungen, Gedächtnisausstellung 16. Oktober bis 16. Dezember 1962, Wien 1962, Nr. 231
Decision of the Advisory Board (PDF)

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Search in collection

semi-nudewoman/girlsquatting/crouching figure (fem.)pillowboth legs bent (fem.)head turned to the right