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| Gustav Klimt painting with sad history to be auctioned at Sotherby's | |
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| A shimmering portrait by Gustav Klimt of his doctor’s teenage daughter is to be auctioned in London after the resolution of a dispute over its ownership between the descendants of the artist and the subject. | A shimmering portrait by Gustav Klimt of his doctor’s teenage daughter is to be auctioned in London after the resolution of a dispute over its ownership between the descendants of the artist and the subject. |
| The two sides have agreed to divide the proceeds from the sale of the painting, which is estimated to be worth up to £18m, though the exact terms of the settlement remain confidential. | The two sides have agreed to divide the proceeds from the sale of the painting, which is estimated to be worth up to £18m, though the exact terms of the settlement remain confidential. |
| The beautiful girl swathed in white gossamer was Gertrud Loew, the 19-year-old daughter of Anton Loew, a celebrated physician who ran an opulent private sanatorium beside his palatial home in Vienna, where his patients included the composer Gustav Mahler and the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. | The beautiful girl swathed in white gossamer was Gertrud Loew, the 19-year-old daughter of Anton Loew, a celebrated physician who ran an opulent private sanatorium beside his palatial home in Vienna, where his patients included the composer Gustav Mahler and the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. |
| The portrait, to be auctioned at Sotheby’s in London on 24 June, is described as the best Klimt portrait to be sold in 20 years. When first exhibited in 1903 it was described by one critic as “the most sweet scented poetry the palette is able to create”. | The portrait, to be auctioned at Sotheby’s in London on 24 June, is described as the best Klimt portrait to be sold in 20 years. When first exhibited in 1903 it was described by one critic as “the most sweet scented poetry the palette is able to create”. |
| The painting was left behind along with the rest of an extensive collection as the Nazis tightened their grip on Vienna and the family escaped to the US. The house became a Nazi headquarters, and the collection was scattered. Although Loew’s daughter Maria returned after the war to try, unsuccessfully, to trace and recover some of their treasures – the friend to whom most had been entrusted had sold them under duress – Loew never set foot in her native city again. | The painting was left behind along with the rest of an extensive collection as the Nazis tightened their grip on Vienna and the family escaped to the US. The house became a Nazi headquarters, and the collection was scattered. Although Loew’s daughter Maria returned after the war to try, unsuccessfully, to trace and recover some of their treasures – the friend to whom most had been entrusted had sold them under duress – Loew never set foot in her native city again. |
| When Loew left Vienna in 1939, she was known as Gertha Felsöványi, having been been divorced once and widowed. Although her son Anthony was already living in the US, she was initially refused permission even to disembark, and was only allowed a day pass to spend that Christmas with her son on the intercession of Eleanor Roosevelt. She finally gained a US visa in 1940, after working as a teacher in Columbia, and died in California in 1964, aged 80. Anthony died two years ago, aged 98. | When Loew left Vienna in 1939, she was known as Gertha Felsöványi, having been been divorced once and widowed. Although her son Anthony was already living in the US, she was initially refused permission even to disembark, and was only allowed a day pass to spend that Christmas with her son on the intercession of Eleanor Roosevelt. She finally gained a US visa in 1940, after working as a teacher in Columbia, and died in California in 1964, aged 80. Anthony died two years ago, aged 98. |
| After the war, the portrait was among many Klimt works acquired by Gustav Ucicky, a son of the artist by one of his models, Maria Ucicka. He left the collection to his widow, Ursula, who established a non-profit cultural foundation to house them and research the work of the artist and the provenance of the pictures – a process that uncovered the link with the Felsöványi family. | After the war, the portrait was among many Klimt works acquired by Gustav Ucicky, a son of the artist by one of his models, Maria Ucicka. He left the collection to his widow, Ursula, who established a non-profit cultural foundation to house them and research the work of the artist and the provenance of the pictures – a process that uncovered the link with the Felsöványi family. |
| Gertha’s granddaughter, speaking for the family, said the settlement meant a great deal to her entire family: “This portrait portrays the brave and determined nature of my grandmother. Her strength of character and beauty lives on in this visual embodiment. | Gertha’s granddaughter, speaking for the family, said the settlement meant a great deal to her entire family: “This portrait portrays the brave and determined nature of my grandmother. Her strength of character and beauty lives on in this visual embodiment. |
| “My father said that my grandmother never again mentioned the painting or the valuable belongings she had left behind. My father recalled that, throughout his childhood, the painting was displayed in the entrance hall of their family home. It was displayed prominently on a stand rather than hung on the wall, and faced out to the gardens. After he had left Vienna, my father hung a reproduction of the Klimt portrait of his mother in his home in America.” | “My father said that my grandmother never again mentioned the painting or the valuable belongings she had left behind. My father recalled that, throughout his childhood, the painting was displayed in the entrance hall of their family home. It was displayed prominently on a stand rather than hung on the wall, and faced out to the gardens. After he had left Vienna, my father hung a reproduction of the Klimt portrait of his mother in his home in America.” |