Portrait of a Lady (unfinished) 1918

Gustav Klimt’s *Portrait of a Lady (unfinished)* is an arresting image of a woman, composed with oil on canvas. What strikes me is the colour palette, which is kind of eerie. Imagine Klimt’s studio, him trying to catch the light, and capture the sitter, pushing and pulling with his brush. There's a real openness here, and a raw quality in the sketch-like elements. The blue of her face makes her pop! It is interesting to see an artwork in progress because it gives a very direct insight into the working methods of the artist. The unfinished areas offer a window into Klimt's process, which, in turn, emphasizes the labor and decision-making involved in creating a painting. Like any good painting, this one sets off a chain reaction, sparking more and more thought. In a way, all paintings are unfinished, waiting to be completed in the eye of the beholder.