Emilie Louise Flöge
Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss has come to embody love and romanticism. It depicts an intimate moment between a man and woman; two lovers suspended in time within a brilliant gold background, and a kiss being bestowed upon the cheek of a woman.
What many viewers may not know is that the woman in Klimt’s wondrous work is in fact a real woman from history, with her own name and story to share.
Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Emilie Flöge, a Vienese fashion designer, independent business woman, forward thinking creative, and the most important person in Gustav Klimt’s life.
This Episode is produced by Kula Production Company.
Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Emilie Flöge
REFERENCES
Gottfried Fliedl, and Gustav Klimt. Gustav Klimt: The World in Female Form. Taschen America Llc, 1997.
Millington, Ruth. Muse. Simon and Schuster, 3 May 2022.
Partsch, Susanna. Gustav Klimt : Painter of Women. Munich ; London, Prestel, 2016.
Wolfgang Georg Fischer, and Dorothea McEwan. Gustav Klimt & Emilie Flöge. Overlook Books, 1992.
FURTHER REFERENCES
IMAGES
Gustav Klimt. The Kiss. Oil on canvas. 1907-1908.
Ernst Klimt. Portrait of his father-in-law Hermann Flöge. Oil on canvas. Before 1982.
Image courtesy of Gustav Klimt & Emilie Flöge: An Artist and his Muse by Wolfgang Fischer.
Gustav Klimt. Old Man on his Deathbed. Oil on canvas. 1899.
Gustav Klimt. Portrait of Barbara Flöge. Oil on Canvas. 1915.
Gustav Klimt. Emilie Flöge, Aged 17. Pastel on paper. 1891.
Gustav Klimt. The Harlequin at the Fair in Rothenburg. Oil on plaster. 1892.
Image of Schwestern Flöge in the Casa Piccola Building from 1930.
Reception room at Schwestern Flöge
Changing room at Schwestern Flöge
Schwestern Flöge Moasaic Storefront Sign
National costume bodice and samples of embroidery and lace from Emilie Flöge’s estate.
Image courtesy of Gustav Klimt & Emilie Flöge: An Artist and his Muse by Wolfgang Fischer.
Emilie Flöge wearing a reform dress co-designed by Emilie and Gustav Klimt in 1906. Photo taken by Gustav Klimt.
Postcard from Klimt to Emilie. Private collection.
Emile Flöge in 1906. Taken by Gustav Klimt for the Journal of German Arts and Crafts wearing a design they co-created. One of 20 photographs.
Gustav Klimt. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I. Oil and gold leaf on canvas. 1907.
Gustav Klimt. Portrait of Fritza Riedler. Oil on canvas. 1906.
Note: Sitter is wearing Emilie’s design.
Gustav Klimt. Emilie Flöge. Oil on canvas. 1902.
Gustav Klimt. Portrait of Amalie Zuckerkandl. Oil on Canvas. 1917-1918.
Emilie Flöge at the Flöge family grave, at the Vienna Central Cemetary.
Surviving dress made at Schwestern Flöge. Brown Velvet with gold trimmings.
