Updated September 16, 2026 — by César, editor at AestheticPoster
Gustav Klimt died on February 6, 1918 in Vienna: his work has been in the public domain in France since January 1, 1989. « The Kiss » and the entire Golden Period can therefore be freely reproduced as posters. The only real pitfall is aesthetic: a thick gilt frame kills the gold effect, a thin frame (matte gilt or black) showcases it.
Key takeaways
- Legal without condition: Klimt died in 1918, public domain since 1989 (70 years post-mortem, article L123-1 of the French IP Code) — details in our guide to public domain artworks.
- Five flagship works from the Golden Period (1899–1910): The Kiss, Adele Bloch-Bauer I, Stoclet Frieze, Judith I, Danaë — each has its own room (table below).
- Frame: thin matte gilt on a warm wall, thin black on a cold wall. Never thick gilt. In matte, gold retains its visual quality without reflection: the frame does the work.
Public domain: what it changes for your poster
Under French law, a work enters the public domain 70 years after the author's death, counted from January 1 of the following year. Klimt dies on February 6, 1918; his paintings have therefore been free of rights since January 1, 1989: no permission, no royalty to print « The Kiss », « Judith » or « Danaë ».
Don't confuse copyright with ownership of the painting. « Adele Bloch-Bauer I » was restituted in 2006 to Maria Altmann following a dispute with the Austrian state (Nazi looting), then displayed at the Neue Galerie in New York. This dispute concerned the painting itself, not the image: it remains reproducible.
The Golden Period in three dates
1903: Klimt discovers the Byzantine mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. The omnipresent gold and stylized figures will mark all his work. 1907–1908: he paints « The Kiss » (oil, gold and silver leaf on canvas, 180 × 180 cm). 1908: the Austrian state purchases the painting at its first exhibition; it has been held since at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna.
Same family, all public domain: « Judith I » (1901), « Adele Bloch-Bauer I » (1907, nicknamed « The Woman in Gold » since the 2015 film), « Danaë » (1907) and the cartoon for the « Stoclet Frieze » (1905–1909), designed for the Stoclet Palace in Brussels.
Which artwork for which room
| Artwork | Year | Dominant palette | Recommended room |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Kiss | 1907–1908 | Gold, ochre, touches of pink and violet | Bedroom, romantic and enveloping effect |
| Adele Bloch-Bauer I | 1907 | Dominant gold, green and silver motifs | Living room or office, strong art history piece |
| Stoclet Frieze (Tree of Life) | 1905–1909 | Gold, multicolor, geometric motifs | Large living room wall, decorative frieze effect |
| Judith I | 1901 | Dark gold, deep background | Entrance or office, assertive character |
| Danaë | 1907 | Gold and blue, tight composition | Bedroom, more intimate and subtle format |
In a bedroom, « The Kiss » remains the safe choice: centered figures, no empty space effect. It's also one of the most gifted posters on Valentine's Day (see our gift guide by passion). For a living room accent wall, prefer the Stoclet Frieze or Adele Bloch-Bauer I, more graphic.
Frame and format: don't miss the gold effect
- Thin matte gilt: extends the gold leaf without mirror effect. For an already warm wall (wood, terracotta, beige).
- Thin black: sharp contrast that makes the gold stand out by opposition. For a cold wall (grey, off-white). The most versatile option.
- To avoid: a thick, shiny gilt frame that competes with the artwork's gold instead of serving it.
As for paper, we have only one finish: matte 250 g/m² with PVC coating, no glossy version. In matte, gold retains its visual quality without reflection, even on a south-facing wall; the frame does the work. Our frames (black, white, light wood, dark wood) are adjusted to the format: +50 € in M, +70 € in L, +100 € in XL.
Format: L 42×60 cm (≈ A2) suits most bedrooms for « The Kiss » alone. XL 60×84 cm (≈ A1) is reserved for a clear wall of more than 2 m, typically the Stoclet Frieze as the living room centerpiece. M 30×42 cm (≈ A3) works for Danaë or Judith in an entrance. The format guide gives wall / format correspondences; the adhesive strips provided serve to test positioning before framing.
FAQ
Do I need to cite the museum or a copyright holder when displaying a Klimt?
No. The Belvedere holds the painting, not the rights to the image: those expired in 1989. You can display, gift or even sell a reproduction without mention or authorization, in France as in the European Union.
Can The Kiss and Adele Bloch-Bauer I go together on the same wall?
Yes, provided with an identical frame (preferably thin black) and the same L format. The two paintings share the gold palette and centered composition; one romantic, the other more graphic, they complement each other without repeating.
Will the poster's gold tarnish over time?
Matte 250 g/m² with PVC coating resists humidity and doesn't wrinkle. Like any printed paper, it yellows under prolonged direct sunlight: place it away from direct rays or behind the glass of a frame, the gold will remain stable.
Find « The Kiss », Adele Bloch-Bauer I, Judith and Danaë in the Gustav Klimt collection; for other royalty-free classics, see Monet's Water Lilies and Matisse's cut-paper works.
César, editor at AestheticPoster — I've seen too many « Kiss » paintings drowned in a thick gilt frame: since then, I systematically recommend thin black, and no one has looked back.
