Peek behind the canvas at Upper Belvedere to discover the story behind Klimt’s unfinished work The Bride.
- Includes his preliminary drawings
- Presents the painting’s history
- …and results of technical analysis
- Offers insights into his studio and interactions with contemporaries
- Runs May 15 – Oct 5, 2025
- Book Upper Belvedere tickets*
- See also:
Behind the scenes of a scene
(Gustav Klimt, The Bride, 1917/18 (unfinished), Klimt Foundation, Vienna, Inv. No. S4, on loan in the Belvedere, Vienna © Klimt Foundation, Vienna)
Quite apart from the human aspect, the passing of great artists always leaves us with a “what might have been?”
What other great novels could Jane Austen have written had she lived beyond the age of 41?
What would Egon Schiele have painted had Spanish ‘flu not taken him aged 28?
Gustav Klimt died the same year as Schiele (1918), leaving behind unfinished works: physical hints at what future months and years might have brought the world.
One such work is The Bride, subject of an exhibition at Upper Belvedere in the museum’s In-Sight series.
(Klimt in a photograph by Moriz Nähr from around 1916; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 55270; excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)
Although unfinished, the painting has its own form of fame thanks to a photo taken of Klimt’s studio by Moritz Nähr shortly after the artist’s death. The Bride sits on an easel in a poignant scene laden with unfulfilled expectation.
That photo appears in the exhibition, though the painting itself forms the centrepiece, of course, thanks to a long-term loan of the work to Belvedere by the Klimt Foundation (the exhibition is a joint project by the two institutions).
We also find insights on The Bride‘s composition and creation. So we see, for example, preliminary sketches and studies by Klimt, as well as the results of formal technical analysis of the work.
(Gustav Klimt, Study for the right figure with legs spread and a skirt in the painting The Bride from the last sketchbook, 1917, Klimt Foundation, Vienna, Inv. No. S116 © Klimt Foundation, Vienna)
The exhibition also explores the context and history around the painting. It draws, for example, on the words of those who visited Klimt in the studio, who sponsored his work, or who stood before him as he sought to capture their likeness on canvas.
These recollections and notes by contemporaries like Schiele, along with private photos, seem to make Klimt more real, rather than some museum and cultural icon.
We may never truly experience what the world lost with Klimt’s passing. But the exhibition does at least give us a deeper understanding of the man’s art and what might have been.
Dates, tickets & tips
Take a deep dive into The Bride from May 15th to October 5th, 2025. An entrance ticket for or from Upper Belvedere includes the special exhibition.
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
You might complete a Klimt treble when there.
Belvedere’s permanent exhibition has several Klimt paintings to admire, including his most famous work. And, for much of the same duration as The Bride, a walk down to Lower Belvedere takes you to the Pigment & Pixel exhibition: an exploration of the artist’s methods and materials.
As mentioned earlier, you can also visit the place where Klimt worked on the unfinished painting. His final studio in the Klimt Villa is one of several biographical locations in my guide to Klimt in Vienna.
How to get to The Bride
Follow the directions for Upper Belvedere to reach the exhibition.
Address: Prinz Eugen-Straße 27, 1030 Vienna