Gustav Klimt Red Woman Gold Snake Art Nouveau Painting - Gustav Klimt was an ) was an Austrian symbolist painter, and a member of the Vienna Secession movement. He used real gold in his beautiful work of art nouveau women and decorative art. This Klimt painting was called "Medicine" or Hygieia. The Gustav Klimt painting is of an art nouveau woman in a long red dress with gold swirling around her. The beautiful woman is holding a slithering golden snake. Gustav Klimt was commissioned in 1894 for this art nouveau painting, which was painted on the ceiling in the University of Vienna’s great hall. However, in 1945, the Klimt painting was destroyed in Germany during the war. This art nouveau woman is based on a photograph of a portion of Klimt's Medicine.