As far as romance in art history goes, perhaps no one has captured love and intimacy like Gustav Klimt in his iconic 20th century masterpiece. Klimt created the sublime oil painting, which is layered luxuriantly with gold leaf, silver and platinum, giving it it’s unforgettable patina, between 1907 and 1908. The painting was originally exhibited as “the lovers”, and depicts a couple, their bodies locked together in an intimate embrace, the pinnacle of passion. Their elaborate robes are in line with the fashions of the day, influenced by Art Nouveau; the work is considered one of the finest examples of the Vienna Secession movement, Vienna’s version of Art Nouveau. It remains one of Klimt’s most celebrated works, and now hangs in the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna. As for the woman who inspired such ardent feelings in the artist? There are several theories as to who the woman is in the image – It is thought that Klimt and his companion Emilie Flöge modeled for the work, but there’s rife speculation too that the woman is in fact Austrian composer Alma Mahler, or another female model, Red Hilda, who resembles the female figures in other Klimt paintings. The mystery remains one of the painting’s potent secrets, making its private intimacy all the more compelling, over a century on.

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