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What the painting shows
Standing Woman by Gustav Klimt is a graphite study on paper that outlines a single female figure. Drawn around 1910, the work captures a woman standing in three-quarter view, with her body angled slightly toward the viewer while her gaze directs forward. Delicate graphite strokes form the contours of her face, indicating her eyes, nose, and lips, while her hair rests swept up on top of her head.
Her garment is defined by light, loose pencil marks. Circular loops and curved patterns cover the fabric around her sleeves and upper torso. A belt line gathers the fabric at the waist, where the skirt falls downward in longer, sweeping vertical lines. Klimt left the background empty, allowing the pale paper tone to frame the woman’s form.
The story behind it
Klimt produced numerous studies of the human figure throughout his career, often working rapidly on paper in graphite. Standing Woman reflects his interest in female fashion and decorative linear rhythm during the period around 1910. Rather than filling in shaded tones, he used clear outlines and repetitive circular shapes to indicate the texture and movement of the woman’s gown.
While Klimt is widely recognized for his finished oil paintings, his preparatory sheets and independent drawings document his direct design process. In this drawing, he worked with quick, confident line weights to establish the woman’s posture and the decorative flow of her clothing.
Where to see it
Standing Woman is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The sheet measures 50.1 centimeters high by 32.2 centimeters wide. Because works on paper are sensitive to light exposure, the gallery may not keep the graphite sheet on continuous public display.
Questions about Standing Woman
Where is Standing Woman by Klimt?
Standing Woman by Klimt is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The work is cataloged under accession number NGA 135990. Because light can damage delicate paper and graphite over time, museums often rotate such drawings into storage rather than showing them permanently on gallery walls.
What is Standing Woman by Klimt made of?
Standing Woman by Klimt is made of graphite on paper. Gustav Klimt used graphite pencil to sketch the contours of the standing figure, her facial features, and the decorative loops on her dress. He left the surrounding paper blank without watercolor, oil paint, or heavy graphite shading.
