Whatever Happened to Klimt’s Golden Lady? with E. Randol Schoenberg -- UC San Diego Library Channel

E. Randol Schoenberg, the grandson of the composer Arnold Schoenberg, is an expert in handling cases involving looted art and the recovery of property stolen by the Nazi authorities during the Holocaust. He tells the story here of his most prominent case, “Republic of Austria v. Altmann” which resulted in the successful return of six paintings by Gustav Klimt, including the “Golden Lady,” to their rightful owners. Recorded on 05/06/2015. [6/2015] [Show ID: 29174]

Christie's Klimt Auction November 2006

On November 8, 2006 Christie's auctioned off four paintings by Gustav Klimt which had been recovered by the Bloch-Bauer family from Austria. The auction was until 2013, the highest grossing auction of all time.

Art of the Heist: The Lady In Gold

A film on the recovery of the Bloch-Bauer Klimt paintings by Maria Altmann in 2006. Electric Sky, Nigel Janes Director/Producer.

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I - by: Gustav Klimt Date: 1907

 Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I

Gustav Klimt

Date: 1907

Style: Art Nouveau (Modern)

Period: Golden phase

Genre: portrait

Media: oil, canvas

Location: Private Collection, Neue Galerie New York, New York City, US

This painting, which took three years to complete, was commissioned by the wealthy industrialist Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, who made his money in the sugar industry. Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer favored the arts, especially Klimt, and commissioned him to complete another portrait of his wife Adele in 1912. Adele Bloch-Bauer was the only person to be painted twice by Klimt. This painting is perhaps most famous not for its artistic quality, but because of its scandalous history since inception. Upon her death, Adele Bloch-Bauer wished the painting to be given to the Austrian State Gallery, but it was seized by advancing German forces in World War II. In 1945, Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer designated the paintings to be the property of his nephew and nieces, including Maria Altmann. Nonetheless, the Austrian government retained ownership of the painting, and was not returned to the Altmann family until 2006 after a long court battle. The painting was then sold at auction for $135 million dollars, which at that time was the highest price paid at auction for a painting. It is now displayed the Neue Art Gallery in New York.