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What the painting shows
Seated Female Nude by Klimt is a pencil study that presents a seated woman resting in three-quarter view. Sparse, fluid pencil lines trace the curves of her body against the plain paper background. She leans forward slightly with her head tilted toward her shoulder, gazing directly outward at you. Around her neck hangs a single necklace composed of circular beads.
Her arms fold gently across her lap, with one hand resting over her bent knees. Soft, flowing lines indicate loose drapery that pools behind her back and under her seat. In the lower right corner of the paper, the artist’s estate mark is stamped in dark lettering.
The story behind it
Klimt produced this piece in 1900 using pencil on paper. Measuring 57 by 37.5 centimeters, the work reflects the artist’s focused attention to life study and natural form. The sheet is grouped among Klimt’s drawings, which he created continuously throughout his career.
While Klimt is widely celebrated for his gilded paintings, his drawings reveal how he approached the human figure before adding complex decoration. In this sheet, he relies entirely on clean, confident graphite strokes rather than color or heavy shading to convey weight and posture.
Where to see it
You can find Seated Female Nude in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, in Warsaw, Poland. The museum preserves the fragile paper sheet within its graphic works collection.
Questions about Seated Female Nude
Where is Seated Female Nude by Klimt?
Seated Female Nude by Gustav Klimt is housed in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, located in Warsaw, Poland. The Polish institution holds this 1900 drawing among its works on paper. Because works on paper are sensitive to light exposure, museums often rotate them or display them during specific exhibitions rather than leaving them permanently on view.
What is Seated Female Nude by Klimt made of?
Seated Female Nude by Gustav Klimt is made of pencil on paper. Klimt drew the study on a single sheet measuring 57 centimeters high by 37.5 centimeters wide. Rather than using oil paint or gold leaf, the artist relied purely on black graphite to define the contours, posture, and presence of the female figure.
