Fable by Gustav Klimt, 1883

Gustav Klimt’s Fable (1883) is an early oil painting from the Viennese master’s formative years, created well before the gilded opulence and mosaic-like patterning that would later define his fame. Painted when Klimt was in his twenties, this work reveals his academic training while leaning toward Symbolism: a dreamlike scene that privileges mood and metaphor over literal storytelling. The composition invites contemplation—part allegory, part reverie—suggesting a narrative that is felt as much as it is seen.

This fine art print is produced by The Unique Maps Co. using premium, acid-free archival paper or artist’s cotton canvas for enduring color fidelity and longevity. Choose from a range of sizes, from intimate studies to statement pieces. Professional framing and matting are available, and we’re happy to personalize your print with custom sizing, borders, and inscriptions—tailored to your wall and your vision.

About the artist: Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) emerged from Vienna’s academic traditions to become a leading figure of the Secession, celebrated for sensuous portraiture and boundary-pushing decorative innovation. Fable belongs to his early period, before the gold leaf and patterned scintillation of his mature style, yet it already shows the instinct for atmosphere, symbolism, and emotional charge that would animate his later work.

Why the artwork matters: Fable channels the late 19th-century turn toward Symbolism, a movement seeking psychological depth and poetic resonance rather than straightforward realism. Here, the nude figure is set among creatures of the imagination—a poised lion and elegant, long-legged wading birds often read as storks—conjuring the tension between innocence and instinct, calm and wildness. It’s a picture about human nature at the threshold between the rational and the primeval, a theme that captivated fin-de-siècle Vienna.

Color and design: Klimt orchestrates a palette of warm earths and luminous creams set against deeper passages of shadow, with highlights of yellow, inky black, and burnished orange lending drama and contrast. Soft, rounded forms and loosely expressive brushwork blur the line between figure, fauna, and foliage, binding nature to humanity in a single, flowing rhythm. The lion—readily identified as Panthera leo—anchors the scene with quiet power, while the birds’ pale bodies and dark accents create a lyrical counterpoint. This is a superb choice for collectors who appreciate Klimt’s world before the gold: intimate, atmospheric, and quietly transformative on the wall.

As a fine art print, Fable is versatile for interiors, pairing beautifully with warm woods, neutral linens, matte black accents, and brass or bronze finishes. It suits living rooms, bedrooms, studies, and gallery walls where contemplative works are given space to breathe. It also makes a meaningful gift—thoughtful for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, housewarmings, or for anyone drawn to Vienna’s cultural history or the lyrical, symbolic side of late 19th-century art.

If you're not sure what size to order, or you're looking for a custom order of some kind – a different size, a different colour, a special frame – then please contact me. I usually respond within a few minutes.

You can see an example of my fine art personalisation service in the fifth image. Zoom in and take a look. My personalised artwork is always very well received. Take a look at more examples of personalisation.

You can also choose to age your art print to make it look older. This is popular amongst my customers who want their artwork to look like an older, antique print. You can see an example of ageing in the sixth product image, or go ahead and check out lots of examples of other aged artwork.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this art print.

I can print and frame this beautiful piece of art at sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). If you are looking for a size or framing option that isn't available online, please get in touch.

This artwork is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. My standard frames come in six colours (black, dark brown, dark grey, antique gold, oak and white), and custom framing is available for an additional charge. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.