What the painting shows

Portrait of Barbara Flöge by Klimt presents an elderly woman seated squarely in the center of a square composition against a mottled green background. Klimt painted the backdrop with short, visible vertical strokes of sage, emerald, turquoise, and pale yellow. This fluid surface gives the setting a textured quality that contrasts with the dark form of the sitter.

Barbara Flöge rests her hands clasped gently in her lap while sitting in a light woven chair. She wears a voluminous dark dress fastened at the neck with a small brooch, draped with a long, thin chain. Her grey hair is swept upward, framing a calm face with pale eyes looking directly toward you. In the lower right corner of the canvas, the artist placed his block-letter signature.

Who the sitter was

The sitter in the painting is Barbara Flöge. While surviving documentation records only her identity as the subject, the work stands as one of Gustav Klimt’s notable 1915 portraits. For another work connected to the Flöge name, you can read our guide to Emilie Flöge.

Where to see it

Portrait of Barbara Flöge resides in a private collection rather than a public art museum. Because the canvas is privately owned, it is not part of any permanent museum display. Opportunities to view the original oil painting depend on loans to temporary exhibitions. As a result, viewers rarely have the chance to see this square 1915 canvas in person.