Vienna, Austria – A long-lost painting by the renowned Austrian artist Gustav Klimt is set to go under the hammer at an auction in Vienna, sparking intrigue and debate about its history and significance in the art world.
The painting in question, titled Portrait of Fraulein Lieser, was started by Klimt in 1917, just a year before his passing, but remained unfinished for a century. Questions linger about the identity of the woman portrayed in the artwork and its whereabouts during the Nazi era.
Estimated to be worth up to €50 million, the painting is believed to depict one of the daughters from the Lieser family, prominent Jewish industrialists. While art historians suggest it may be Margarethe Constance Lieser, daughter of Adolf Lieser, the auction house hints it could also represent one of Justus Lieser’s daughters, highlighting the family’s tragic history during the Holocaust.
The ownership history of the painting remains murky, with uncertainties surrounding its fate after 1925. However, it was acquired by the current owner through a series of inheritances in the 1960s, following an agreement under the Washington Principles to return Nazi-looted art to descendants of the original owners.
Despite efforts to adhere to these principles, concerns remain within the Austrian Jewish community about the transparency and accuracy of the restitution process. Calls for independent research to shed light on unresolved questions surrounding art restitution have surfaced, underscoring the sensitivity and complexity of reclaiming lost artworks from the past.
As the auction approaches, stakeholders grapple with the ethical and legal implications of selling Nazi-looted art, emphasizing the need for a thorough and fair approach to resolving historical injustices. With Klimt’s art fetching significant sums at previous auctions, the Portrait of Fraulein Lieser stands as not only a valuable masterpiece but also a poignant symbol of a tumultuous past waiting to be unveiled.