(Vienna 1862–1918)
Portrait of a woman in profile with a ruched collar, 1904/05, pencil, heightened with white (collar) on paper, 55 x 35 cm, description on lower sheet margin: ‘Disegno originale di Gustavo Klimt - avuto da Raff Calzini nel 1925 L. Ghiglioni’ ... as well as on the reverse: The authenticity of this original drawing by Gustav Klimt is guaranteed., R. Buttschneider-Vienna, (K)

Dr. Marian Bisanz-Prakken will include this drawing in the catalogue raisonné of works by Klimt in the collection of the Albertina, Gustav Klimt, Die Zeichnungen, vol. V.

Provenance:
Private Ownership, Italy
Collection Raffaele Calzini (1885-1953), Italien - directly from the artist
Collection Luigi Ghiglione, Genoa 1925

This autonomous, half-length portrait of a woman in three-quarter view can be dated to 1904-05. Typical of Klimt’s style of draughtsmanship at this time – considered to be the start of his ‘golden style’ – are the metallic, sharp pencil lines with which the artist has defined with great precision the contours of the sitter’s profile, her eyes, nose and mouth. The portrait drawings of the Dutch Symbolist, Jan Toorop (1858-1928), whose work greatly influenced that of Klimt, may have acted as the model here. The manner in which Klimt powerfully plays off the linear precision of the facial elements with the airy, white-accented dress is, however, thoroughly originally. A comparison can be made, for instance, to the group of half-length portrait drawings of the ‘English lady’ which date from 1904-05 (Strobl II, nos 1196 – 1208)
Marian Bisanz-Prakken, Albertina Vienna, October 2012