Gustav Klimt Bk of Postcards

There is more to Gustav Klimt than just "The Kiss", but, really, if that had been all he ever painted, that might have been enough. Pre-WWI, Klimt was the toast of Vienna society and "the" portrait painter in demand. This postcard set includes two of his portraits of socialite Adele Bloch-Bauer, including the wonderful "Lady in Gold", all gold and richness. If you aren't familiar with this painting, I highly recommend the episode about its theft in the wonderful series  Art of the Heist  (which even has "Lady in Gold" on its cover).This images in this set have sometimes been a little truncated for the postcard (such as with "The Kiss"), and sometimes only a detail is shown (such as the cover art, a detail from "Medicine"). The image quality is quite good, keeping in mind that a regular photo cannot do justice to a Klimt where he used metals, including gold leaf. I thought four images were downright dark in their postcard reproductions, but then some Klimt designs were created on a dark tan background. There are five explicit nudes, in case you're wondering. The post office won't care if you send them, so it's just if the images bother you.The message/address side of the postcard gives artwork information, such as the name & dimensions of the artwork, the media used, and where it currently makes its home. Images range from portraits to landscapes to decorations.Twenty of the postcards are of oil paintings (some are what I'd call boring landscapes). Nine are tempura and watercolor, and eight of those, according to the postcard descriptions, use metal of some kind, including golf leaf. I'm not sure why the gold leaf is mentioned on these 8 items and not on the oil paintings with gold leaf. It took months for Klimt to complete some portraits, such as "Adele Bloch-Bauer I" (also known as "Lady in Gold") because of the painstaking gold leaf application.Each postcard measures a little less each way than 6 ½" x 4 ¾". Postcard postage is needed. The postard arrive in a stack of perforated cards. I found that a card can be taken out from the middle of the pack if I was very careful, and first folded the card back & forth across the perforated line.Pomegranate did a nice job on this set, 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.Happy Reader

Large glossy postcards of beautiful artwork. This is exactly what I expected when I placed the order. Very happy with this purchase.

These cards are beautiful but are larger than standard postcards and require letter rate postage.

I was honestly disappointed in the variety/selection of postcards in this book. However the postcards themselves are high quality. I'm sure it's copyright issues that prevents certain paintings from being reproduced, but still--would have liked to see more of my favorite Klimts.

These are beautiful, but because they're over the USPS size limit for postcards, will require first-class letter postage. Since I'll be paying for it anyway, I'll send them in envelopes. The cards will be better protected, and if I choose, I can send several at once before the one-ounce weight limit is reached.

Some wise choices went into this book of Gustav Klimt tear-out postcards. While it is true cut-outs from many of Klimt's paintings are shown, this allows the book to include, but not be dominated by, the close-to-war-horse portraits like Adele Bloch-Bauer, and to heighten other areas of Klimt's interest such as wildflowers or the sensuous fabrics of friend and dress designer Emilie Floege. Yes, these cards cost (currently) forty-seven cents to mail instead of the postcard rate of thirty-four (one US Dollar fifteen abroad). Use a ballpoint or other very stable pen, as the address side is nearly as shiny as the "art" side. Still, highly recommended.

small but beautiful reproductions.

Disappointed in the choices of paintings. Too many details, not enough of entire works

love klimt and these postcards are marvellous for framing, sending or just keeping. good quality and good choice of pictures

Fantastic! It looks like new!