The Women Friends by Klimt: A Lost Painting in Red

In this article

A painting that no longer exists

Gustav Klimt painted The Women Friends in 1916 to 1917, near the end of his life. In 1945, at the end of the Second World War, it was destroyed in a fire at Schloss Immendorf in Austria, together with several other major works by Klimt. Today it is known only from photographs and colour reproductions.

Two women, close together

The two women’s faces, one in a white turban — Two women, close together.

Two women stand close together, one in a white turban looking out at us, the other leaning her head against her. Their closeness has often been read as a portrait of love between women.

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A world of red

The great red cloak filling the canvas — The red cloak.

The standing woman wears a vast red cloak that fills much of the canvas, painted against a red background.

Colourful birds and flowers in the background at the left — Birds and flowers in the background.

At the left, the background is covered with birds, flowers and decorative creatures in bright colours, typical of Klimt’s late style.

A black bird against the red background — The black bird.

Above, a black bird stands out against the red. Its meaning is not explained.

Questions about The Women Friends

Does the painting still exist?

No. It was destroyed by fire at Schloss Immendorf in 1945.

When was it painted?

In 1916 to 1917.

How do we know what it looked like?

From photographs and colour reproductions made before 1945.

Who are the women?

Their identity is unknown.

Sources and image credit

Wikimedia Commons: The Women Friends

Public-domain reproduction of The Women Friends (1916 to 1917, destroyed 1945), via Wikimedia Commons. Detail images are crops of the same image; no reconstruction or upscaling.