Gustav Klimt’s Famous Paintings Get Recreated with Live Models

Using live models, elaborate props, and lots of gold, Austrian photographer Inge Prader paid homage to her compatriot, Gustav Klimt, with incredible photographic recreations of his famous paintings. The marvelous tableaus incorporate all the rich Art Nouveau symbolism we come to expect with Klimt, but the addition of model makes the work fresh.

Some of Klimt’s most iconic work, like Death and Life and the epic, 112-foot-long Beethoven Frieze have been recreated in all their sumptuous detail. The seductive, erotic nature of the Austrian painter’s work come through clearly as the models often intertwine their nude bodies. Warm gold hues, which were inspired by Klimt’s visit to the early Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna, pervade the imagery, as characterized this era of the artist’s work.

The series was shot as part of the Life Ball, an annual event in Vienna that raises funds for HIV/AIDS. In 2015, as part of the Secessionist theme for the event, Prader was asked to shoot images inspired by the Golden Phase of Klimt’s oeuvre. This period in his career lasted from 1899 to 1910, with the most well-known painting being The Kiss. Prader expertly brings the two-dimensional works to life with her vivid recreations of the artwork, reminding us of Klimt’s greatness.