For the first time in more than a century, the public can closely view early works by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt during guided tours of the Burgtheater in Vienna. The tours, which began recently and will continue through August, take visitors up scaffolding to examine Klimt’s ten oil paintings situated on the theater’s ceilings nearly 18 meters (60 feet) above the stage.

The paintings, created between 1886 and 1888 when Klimt was just 24 years old, are undergoing careful restoration following water damage. Alongside Klimt, his brother Ernst and Austrian painter Franz Matsch contributed to the large-scale commission, marking Klimt’s first major project. The restored ceiling art depicts various scenes drawing from theater history, including a prominent 16th-century London tableau portraying Queen Elizabeth I watching a production of “Romeo and Juliet” at the Globe Theatre. Notably, Klimt’s only known self-portrait appears in this scene, where he and his collaborators observe alongside the queen.

Robert Beutler, commercial director of the Burgtheater, described the restoration as a painstaking process involving “several hundred thousand euros” to return the paintings to their original brilliance. Conservators clean the works meticulously by hand, using fine cotton swabs and condensed water to remove layers of dust and grime. The largest piece measures approximately 35 square meters (375 square feet), highlighting the extensive effort needed to preserve these historic works.

Conservator Thomas Mahr noted that the young artists’ pitch at the time emphasized their youth and speed, offering quality work at low cost, which helped them secure the commission. The paintings are significant for revealing a less familiar phase of Klimt’s artistic development, predating his well-known art nouveau masterpieces like “The Kiss,” housed in Vienna’s Belvedere Museum.

Visitors on the tours have expressed enthusiasm over the rare opportunity to view the details of the paintings from close range. Hannes Höllinger, who attended a recent tour, remarked on the insights gained into Klimt’s early style. His wife, Susanne Höllinger, highlighted the chance to see minute elements, such as the cigarette held by Ernst Klimt, often invisible from the theater floor.

Daily tours are open to the public, with tickets priced at 25 euros ($29), available through the theater’s website. The scaffolding will be dismantled after the restoration concludes in August, closing this unique window into Klimt’s formative years.