Art/Klimt oil painting "Portrait of Margaret Wittgenstein"

Portrait of Margaret Wittgenstein – 1905 – 90 cm×180 cm – in the Neue Stadtbudscher Stadthalle, Germany

Margaret Stoneborough-Wittgenstein is the daughter of steel and mining tycoon Carl Wittgenstein. The tycoon was one of Klimt's patrons and had purchased his painting Life is a Struggle. Subsequently, he also purchased paintings such as Water Snake 1 and Sunflower. Carl Wittgenstein's family members were unusual: three older children died early, and the rest became famous. The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein was one of them, and the other was the pianist Paul, who lost his right arm in World War I. Margaret was a high-society lady who played an important role in the Viennese art scene, serving as president of the Vienna Arts and Crafts Association in the 1920s.

The portrait was commissioned by Klimt by Karl when his daughter was married. Her gestures echo the architectural elements of the background, inspired by Joseph Hoffmann. Like Portrait of Selena Leder and Portrait of Hermion Gallia, the figures are dressed in white dresses. Klimt liked to use white on white, showing the patterns and embroidery on clothes in the simplest way.