Gustav Klimt

“On my first days here I did not start work immediately but, as planned, I took it easy for a few days - flicked through books, studied Japanese art a little.”

“מי שרוצה לדעת עליי יותר, כלומר על האמן, היחיד שכדאי להכיר, התבוננו היטב בציורים שלי כדי להתחקות אחר מי אני ומה אני רוצה.”

“אין דיוקן עצמי שלי. אני לא מתעניין בי בתור 'אובייקט ציור' אני מתעניין יותר באנשים אחרים, במיוחד אם הם נשים, אבל אפילו יותר בצורות אחרות. אני משוכנע שלי אין שום דבר מיוחד. אני צייר שמצייר כל יום מהבוקר עד הלילה. דמויות ונופים, דיוקנאות קצת פחות.”

“אף תחום בחיים אינו כה קטן וחסר חשיבות עד שאינו מציע מקום להשראות אמנותיות.”

“After tea it's back to painting - a large poplar at dusk with a gathering storm. From time to time instead of this evening painting session I go bowling in one of the neighbouring villages, but not very often.”

“I can paint and draw. I believe this myself and a few other people say that they believe this too. But I'm not certain of whether it's true.”

“There is no self-portrait of me.”

“Although even when I am being idle I have plenty of food for thought both early and late - thoughts both about and not about art.”

“There is nothing that special to see when looking at me. I'm a painter who paints day in day out, from morning till evening - figure pictures and landscapes, more rarely portraits.”

“Even when I have to write a simple letter I'm scared stiff as if faced with looming seasickness.”

“All art is erotic.”

“Whoever wants to know something about me - as an artist which alone is significant - they should look attentively at my pictures and there seek to recognise what I am and what I want.”

“Sometimes I miss out the morning's painting session and instead study my Japanese books in the open.”

“If the weather is good I go into the nearby wood - there I am painting a small beech forest (in the sun) with a few conifers mixed in. This takes until 8 'o clock.”

“True relaxation, which would do me the world of good, does not exist for me.”