Welcome to Art Lust, sponsored by Arts Origin. This episode we tackle The Kiss. By Gustav Klimt, that’s the Austrian symbolist painter who dominated the thriving art scene in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century. Klimt used a variety of mediums, including paintings, murals, and sketches, which often depicted the female body as his primary subject. He was best known for his frank eroticism and regularly used prostitutes as his models. But his work was as good as gold, let’s take a look. Here is The Kiss. This piece is probably Klimt’s most well known, and was painted during his golden phase in which he often utilized the gold leaf. Klimt may have used his mistress Emily Foodge to model for The Kiss, although he maintained a 20 year relationship with her, it is debated whether their relationship was sexual, guess he didn’t like to kiss and tell. In 2003, the Kiss and a picture of Gustav Klimt painting it were put on the one hundred euro coin. His work also sold for some serious coin, one painting sold for 135 million bucks. After his death, no less than 14 people came forward claiming Klimt as their father, I’m feeling a little of Klimt myself. See you next time on Art Lust. This print is our Twitter special of the day. Follow us now at twitter.com/artlust.