Paul H Simpson

Born in London, educated at Warlingham School. Studied fine jewellery, silver and horology at Garrard & Company, Crown Jewellers, London. Subsequently various management positions with International Thomson Organization Regional Newspapers Division. Founder and CEO of Simpson Communications. Contributing author to the series Edition Klimt, Volume 3 “Gustav Klimt : Emilie Flöge – Reforming Fashion, Inspiring Art” published by Klimt Foundation, Vienna. Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and member of the Society of Authors.

Abstract

Had Gustav Klimt not become one of the world’s most prized painters only some art experts and Vienna 1900 historians would have known of Emilie Flöge. She was one of three sisters who owned a fashion salon that rivalled Chanel, Poiret and Schiaparelli with haute couture designs that adorned Vienna’s urban elite for over thirty years.

After Gustav Klimt died in 1918 Emilie Flöge left few traces of her relationships other than for being the custodian of many of his effects and affairs which she carefully guarded until her death in Vienna in 1952.

Her family’s graves were derelict until a visitor to Klimt’s Women Exhibition in 2000 decided to find out more about the woman who was at Klimt’s hospital bedside every day and night for the final 3 weeks of his life.

In 2012, the 150th Anniversary of Gustav Klimt’s birth, Paul H. Simpson gave a lecture about his book “Flöge and Klimt: A Family Affair” in Wien Museum. Further research led to the discovery of more Flöge children, a missing Klimt painting and interviews among others with Alice Strobl, Wolfgang Fischer and the oldest living member of the Flöge–Klimt Family.

Twelve years later in 2024, the 150th Anniversary of Emilie Flöge’s birth, his book has been translated to German and is being prepared for publication by Klimt Foundation who will also integrate his research archive into their online database about the life and work of Gustav Klimt.

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