The portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer was commissioned in 1903 after Klimt had been criticized by the establishment for his University commission and he was probably very grateful of the support of his private collectors who supported his work and gave him more freedom. This portrait was first exhibited on May 1 1907, at the Mannheim international art exhibition.

 

Adele Bloch Bauer, a wealthy society woman and hostess of a renowned Vienna Salon became even more famous with this portrait. She says that she's immortal and the #letsdoitagain refers to the portrait of Adele II of 1912.

 

Egon Schiele considered Klimt as his master and Klimt thought Schiele was more talented than himself. His comment is based on his quote: « Art cannot be modern. Art is primordially eternal ». Schiele did a portrait of Klimt on his deathbed and died the same year, in 1918 at only 28.

 

Sources:

Klimt, Jane Rogoyska and Patrick Bade, 2005

The lady in gold, Anne-Marie O'Connor 2015

JWA.org

theartstory.org