Austrian painter, Gustav Klimt, born in 1962 left school at the age of 14 to attend Vienna School of Arts and Crafts on a full scholarship. He later opened a studio with his younger brother, Ernst, and a mutual friend of theirs.  They won numerous commissions to paint churches, theatres, and more public spaces.  A year after their studio opened, Gustav lost his father and brother Ernst.  Their deaths impacted him greatly, he began pushing away the techniques of his teachings and adopting a more personal style.  Early 1900's started Klimt's Golden Phase, during this time he created a series of paintings (Shown Below) that made use of copious amounts of ornamental gold leaf and a flat, two-dimensional perspective.

Read and see more about Gustav Klimt here.

"Judith" 1901

"Danae" 1907

"The Kiss" 1908