How fateful that just as we celebrate Austrian symbolist painter Gustav Klimt’s 150th birthday this past week, a lost painting of his turns up as well!
Within a recent trend of rediscovered artwork, Trumpeting Putto, a late 1800′s ceiling fresco, resurfaced from the depths of an Austrian family’s garage.
Gustav Klimt (Photo: Getty)
While the art dealer representing the owner, Josef Renz, declared the painting a Klimt, Renz now faces skepticism.
According to Alfred Weidinger, a Klimt specialist and curator of the Schlossmuseum Belvedere in Vienna, Renz attributed Trumpeting Putto to the wrong brother.
Weidinger said Gustav Klimt’s less-famous brother, Ernst Klimt, created the painting, consistent with other discovered works — studies for Trumpeting Putto made by Ernst.
Yet, considering the Klimt brothers shared a studio for some time, where they worked on numerous pieces collaboratively, art experts are still investigating the painting’s provenance.
But Gustav Klimt wasn’t the only famous artist to experience brotherly love. Influential brothers of other fine artists actually helped shape their more-famous siblings’ career.
Theo van Gogh, the younger brother of post-Impressionist Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, served as Vincent’s major support system. Because of Theo’s consistent financial and emotional aid, Vincent easily devoted himself entirely to painting.
Vincent and Theo Van Gogh, 1878 (Photo: Paris Provence Van Gogh)
Charles Pollock, the eldest brother of abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock, was also a painter himself. When Charles decided to travel to New York City to study fine art at the Art Students League of New York, his younger brother followed suit, prompting Jackson’s monumental career.
Charles and Jackson Pollock, 1930 (Photo: Charles Pollock Archives)
When the father of pop art legend Andy Warhol died, Andy’s older brother, John Warhola, took over parenting responsibilities at age 17. Determined to send Andy to college, John scraped together enough money to pay for Andy’s education at the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie-Mellon University).
Paul Warhola, right, and Andy Warhol, center, 1940 (Photo: Warhola)
Of course, fine artists aren’t the only creative minds to find solace in their brother’s support. Take Duane and Gregg Allman, for example. The siblings founded the American rock/blues Allman Brothers Band which went on to win Grammy Awards and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
Check out the throwback performance below and watch the brothers in action!
- Ava Cotlowitz
