Johanna Schwarzbeck

Judith & Donald

2019

Gold & Despair is my adaptation of Gustav Klimt’s masterpiece "The Woman In Gold", also known as The Mona Lisa of Austria. Having admired the symbolic art of Klimt since my working days as a fine art restorer at Vienna’s prestigious Conservation Institute (Bundesdenkmalamt) in the 1980’s, I conceived the idea to recreate the jewel of his gilded period with an interpretive lens on the looming darkness of the Holocaust and World War II. As a native of Austria, Salzburg, I have developed an appreciation for Klimt’s art, and Art Nouveau in general. For the last thirty years, I have lived in New York City and worked as a fine art restorer, conservator, and painter as well as in the healing arts. Klimt had executed The Woman in Gold in the span of four years (1903-1907). My own creative process during 2014-2017, reflects my diligent care and thoroughness in rendering the original painting. In 2014, I started with the preparation of the canvas using Klimt’s original size of 54 x 54 inches (167 x 167 cm). For gesso, I used the traditional method of rabbit skin glue and chalk. For the painting, I used oil paints and genuine 23.5 karat gold in various shades, as well as silver leaves, to magnify the brilliant sheen of Klimt’s gold...

In my appropriation of Henri Rousseau's painting "The Dream," I replaced his nude reclining on the couch with my sister Leanna. I envisioned her magically transported into a lush ju...

THE SUNDAY STROLL - ADAPTED TO TODAY'S TIMES Carl Spitzweg, the painter of "The Sunday stroll," was a German genre painter representing the Biedermeier ...

NOTE: This split portrait artwork is part of a limited collection of one of a kind pieces. Please inquire as to whether this specific piece is still available. If not, artist Andrew Cotton...

NOTE: This split portrait artwork is part of a limited collection of one of a kind pieces. Please inquire as to whether this specific piece is still available. If not, artist Andrew Cotton will be happy to create a brand new custom piece, highly similar yet with its own unique character. Paper, wheat paste...

Oil & gold leaf on canvas.

Oil, mirror and 24k gold leaf on canvas.

Oil, mirror and 24k gold leaf on canvas

LOOK FOR FREE SHIPPING AT CHECKOUT OR GALLERY RATE A Boy and His Dog shows the hyperrealism of modern Cuban art that is now available to the world...

Rhonda Libbey's "The Unicorn's Garden" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a grey unicorn in a lush garden of cat faced flowers and rollin...

Steve Sangapore’s “Discovery” is a 48 x 36 oil, ink and 24k gold leaf painting inspired by the idea of intellectual search and discovery on a wood pane...

"Conversation With Myself" delves into the realms of self-discovery and introspection. The young man's introspective pose invites viewers to reflect on their inner dialogue and explo...