Gustav Klimt was an Austrian painter who shocked early 20th century audiences with his unorthodox, subtly erotic paintings. Klimt's early work was rather realistic in nature and typical of early 19th century academic paintings. Much of the work Klimt did prior to 1898 were large murals commissioned by theaters. Later in his life, Klimt began to paint in a much more innovative and imaginative way until eventually his creations were very decorative and quite symbolic. His work is distinguished by an elegant use of gold backgrounds and mosaic patterns. Art historians note an eclectic range of influences contributing to Klimt's distinct style, including Egyptian, Minoan, Classical Greek, and Byzantine inspirations. His most well-known work is The Kiss.