plate no. 2746
Emilie Flöge, Aged 17
Gustav Klimt, 1891
recreation guide
Emilie Flöge, Aged 17 (1891) is a pastel portrait by Gustav Klimt, created during the early years of the Vienna Secession movement. While Klimt is most famous for his later 'Golden Phase' works featuring gold leaf and Byzantine motifs (Source 3), this earlier work reflects his development as a portraitist before those stylistic shifts became dominant. The artwork is executed in pastel on paper, a medium that allows for soft modeling and immediate application, distinct from the oil paintings for which he later became renowned. Klimt’s primary subject matter was often the female body, marked by a frank eroticism and a focus on femininity (Source 3). Although this specific portrait predates his most iconic decorative style, it exists within the context of his broader practice of capturing the likeness and character of his sitters, including his close associate Emilie Flöge, whom he frequently photographed modeling clothing he designed (Source 3).
estimated time
10-15 hours over 3-4 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Soft pastels (earth tones, flesh tones, blacks, whites) | Primary medium for drawing and shading, as specified by the artwork's medium. | — |
| Heavyweight pastel paper or toned paper | To support the dry medium and provide a mid-tone ground for building highlights and shadows. | — |
| Kneaded eraser | For lifting pigment to create highlights and correcting errors, analogous to the 'bread' mentioned in charcoal advice. | — |
| Blending stump or tortillon | To model forms and soften transitions, acting as the 'dry brush' equivalent for dry media. | — |
| Hand mirror | For comparing the drawing with the sitter from a distance, as advised in painting from life. | — |
preparation
surface prep
Since the medium is pastel on paper, no oil ground is required. However, consistent with general portrait practice, the paper should be clean and free of dust. If using toned paper, ensure the tone is neutral enough to allow for both highlight and shadow development. Klimt’s early work was conventional, so a standard, high-quality paper suitable for dry media is appropriate.
underdrawing
Begin with a charcoal or soft pastel sketch to establish proportions. Source 1 advises to 'Draw and then shade in charcoal' and to 'make all corrections while you can in the charcoal stage' because it offers little resistance to correction (Source 1). Hold the brush (or pastel stick) against the model’s face to ascertain length and ensure the study is slightly smaller than life (Source 1). Place the drawing alongside the sitter, on a level with the face, and use a hand-glass to compare the drawing with nature from a distance to check scale and proportion (Source 1).
underpainting
Not applicable for pastel. Instead, establish the mid-tones and basic value structure using soft pastels. Source 1 suggests using 'raw umber, and the softer white' for oil studies; in pastel, use analogous earth tones and whites to block in the major masses of light and shadow before refining details.
color palette
Raw Umber / Earth Tones
Soft brown pastels
Establishing shadows and mid-tones, consistent with the advice to set the palette with raw umber for studies (Source 1).
White
White pastel
Highlights and lightening values. Source 1 mentions using 'softer white' for modeling (Source 1).
Flesh Tones
Pinks, peaches, and warm yellows
Skin rendering. Klimt’s portraits focus on the female form, requiring careful attention to skin tones (Source 3).
Black / Dark Brown
Black or dark brown pastel
Defining hair and deep shadows. Klimt’s subjects often feature dark hair, and contrast is essential for portrait clarity.
composition
Klimt’s portraits from this period are conventional in composition, focusing on the head and shoulders. While his later works incorporated flatness and decoration (Source 3), this 1891 portrait likely adheres to more traditional academic portraiture standards. The sitter is positioned to allow for clear observation of facial features. Source 1 advises keeping the drawing in a line with the face to avoid scale distortions when checking in the mirror (Source 1).
step by step
underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the basic proportions of the head and shoulders using a soft pastel or charcoal. Ensure the drawing is slightly smaller than life.
Tip — Hold the pastel stick against the model’s face to check lengths (Source 1).
Proportional measurement
step 02
Place the drawing on a level with the sitter’s face and step back to view it in a hand mirror. Compare the drawing with the sitter to correct any errors in construction.
Tip — Correct errors now, as correcting later in the final medium is 'fatal to lucidity' (Source 1).
Mirror comparison
first pass
step 03
Block in the major masses of light and shadow using earth tones (raw umber equivalent) and white. Do not focus on details yet.
Tip — Use a dry brush (or blending stump) to model the forms gently (Source 1).
Massing
refining
step 04
Refine the facial features, particularly the eyes and hair. Klimt’s portraits are known for their attention to the female form and likeness (Source 3).
Tip — Avoid over-modeling; keep the finish consistent with the soft nature of pastel.
Detailing
finishing
step 05
Review the overall balance of light and dark. Use the eraser to lift highlights if necessary, similar to how charcoal offers no resistance to bread (Source 1).
Tip — Ensure the likeness is captured without losing the softness of the medium.
Highlighting
critical techniques
Mirror Comparison
Placing the drawing alongside the sitter and viewing it in a hand mirror to check proportions and scale, as advised for painting from life (Source 1).
Early Correction
Making all corrections in the initial drawing stage to avoid 'fatal' errors in the final medium (Source 1).
Soft Modeling
Using a dry brush (or blending tool) to model forms gently, avoiding harsh lines in the initial stages (Source 1).
common pitfalls
- →Putting down final pigment with obvious errors in construction or drawing, which is described as 'reckless in the extreme' (Source 1).
- →Over-modeling or becoming too tied down to the outline, which can lead to a stiff appearance (Source 2).
- →Ignoring the scale distortion that occurs when the drawing is not on a level with the sitter’s face, leading to incorrect proportions (Source 1).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific color palette details for this particular pastel work are not provided in the sources; general earth tones and flesh tones are inferred from standard portrait practice and Source 1's advice on raw umber.
- ·The exact pose and clothing details of Emilie Flöge in this specific portrait are not described in the sources, so the guide focuses on general portrait techniques rather than specific visual replication.
- ·Klimt’s specific pastel technique is not detailed in the sources; the guide relies on general advice for painting from life and charcoal/pastel handling from Source 1.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting — PAINTING FROM LIFE↗
- PAINTING FROM LIFE — applied to Underdrawing, mirror comparison, correction strategies, and modeling techniques.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Gustav Klimt — part 7↗
- Gustav Klimt — applied to Context of Klimt’s style, focus on female subjects, and timeline of his career.
Wikipedia bio — Gustav Klimt — part 1↗
- Gustav Klimt — applied to General artistic influences and subject matter.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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