Gustav Klimt's Portrait Of 'Elisabeth Lederer' Sold For USD 236.4 Million Has A Lesser-Known Tragedy

Famous painter, Gustav Klimt’s portrait of Elisabeth Lederer broke all the records of modern art recently. The portrait by the ace painter was sold for a whopping USD 236.4 million at Sotheby’s auction. The portrait is the second-most-expensive artwork sold at auction and the most-expensive work of modern art.

The six-foot-tall portrait, created by Gustav Klimt between 1914 and 1916, depicts Elisabeth, the daughter of one of Klimt’s patrons, wearing a Chinese robe. The portrait attracted six bidders, who bid for 20 minutes. The auction house has not revealed the buyer's identity.

More about Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer

Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer was commissioned by her parents in 1914, when she was a young woman. The portrait depicted Elisabeth in a flowing, white dress, which Klimt had done for her mother in the Portrait of Serena Lederer. The painting's background featured East Asian art influences with stylised figures and motifs.

Unlike Klimt’s other work, Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer was different. Apart from celebrating Vienna’s elite culture, the painting was a callout for the world that would soon cease to exist. The vibrant colours in the canvas showed the exuberant spirit of Vienna, while it also shared a glimpse into Elisabeth’s family’s formidable power. According to Sotheby’s website, the painting conveys power and beauty. As per the website:

“The painting’s tapestry of soldiers, courtiers and celestial motifs frames Elisabeth like an empress, while the delicate balance of eroticism and restraint defines Klimt’s genius.”

Elisabeth Lederer’s opulent life turned tragic

The painting of 20-year-old Elisabeth Lederer conveyed optimism, which was ironic, as her life was set to turn tragic within a few years. In over a decade, the charming life of Elisabeth turned tragic. Elisabeth Lederer was the daughter of Jewish industrialist August Lederer and Serena Lederer. During the time of this painting, Elisabeth’s family was the second wealthiest in Vienna.

She got married to Baron Wolfgang von Bachofen-Echt in 1921 and converted to Protestantism, but later became Jewish after her divorce in 1934. She lost her father in 1936, followed by the annexation of Austria in 1938 by Nazi Germany. Nazis looted the Lederer art collection, and left the family portraits, which were considered “too Jewish” to be worth stealing. Elisabeth’s family members were forced into exile. Recounting her ordeal, Curatorial Assistant Kirsten Appleyard revealed:

“She was all alone in Vienna: her husband had divorced her, her only child had died and her mother had been forced to flee to Budapest.”

How did Elisabeth Lederer’s association with Gustav Klimt save her life

During the Nazi occupation, Elisabeth was likely to face persecution and death. At that time, she weaved a fake story of Klimt being her father and her being his illegitimate daughter. Klimt was non-Jewish and died in 1918. He had a reputation for being a philanderer and had relationships with many women. It was also reported that he had fathered 14 children. On top of it, Klimt’s obsession with painting Elisabeth supported her story.

On the other hand, Elisabeth’s mother, Szerena, herself signed an affidavit stating that Klimt was Elisabeth’s father in an attempt to save her. With the help of her brother-in-law, who was a high-ranking Nazi officer, she secured a document stating Klimt as her father. She was allowed to stay in Vienna until her death in 1944.

What do you think about Gustav Klimt’s portrait of ‘Elisabeth Lederer’?

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