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What the painting shows
The Large Poplar II by Klimt is a landscape painted in 1903, now held in the Leopold Museum in Vienna. A tall, dense poplar tree dominates the right side of the view, stretching from the lower ground toward the upper edge. Klimt built the tree canopy with close flecks of dark green, orange, blue, and purple.
Below the branches, thin trunks stand beside a small stone shrine near the edge of the field. A wide reddish-brown field extends across the lower portion of the composition, meeting a low horizon where two small trees sit in the distance. Over the land, an expanse of grey, blue, and pale yellow storm clouds covers the sky.
The story behind it
Klimt dated this work in 1903. The painting is also known as Approaching Thunderstorm, or Aufziehendes Gewitter (Die große Pappel II) in German. It stands out among his landscapes for its focus on overcast weather and atmospheric light.
The canvas measures 100.8 centimeters high by 100.7 centimeters wide. Its nearly square format balances the vertical mass of the poplar against the flat expanse of earth and sky.
Where to see it
You can view the painting in person at the Leopold Museum in Vienna. The museum maintains the work in its permanent collection, making the gallery a key stop for anyone following our guide on where to see Klimt paintings.
Questions about The Large Poplar II
Where is The Large Poplar II by Klimt?
The Large Poplar II by Gustav Klimt is located in the Leopold Museum in Vienna, Austria. The Austrian museum holds the 1903 painting in its permanent collection, where visitors can view the artwork alongside other notable examples of Austrian art. If you travel to Vienna to see Klimt's work in person, the museum is one of the primary institutions displaying his landscapes.
How big is The Large Poplar II by Klimt?
The Large Poplar II by Gustav Klimt measures 100.8 centimeters high by 100.7 centimeters wide. The artwork forms an almost exact square. This size provides an even frame for the composition, allowing ample room for both the tall tree on the right and the dark clouds spreading across the upper portion of the scene.
