Gustav Klimt masterpiece ‘Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer,’ dating back over a century, took 4 years to complete

The “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” is a famous piece of art by Gustav Klimt. The subject of the painting is Adele Bloch-Bauer, wife of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer. Klimt was commissioned by the Jewish industrialist to paint the portrait in 1903. The distinguished piece of artwork was finally unveiled four years later. A second painting of Adele, the “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II,” was created by Klimt in 1912.

The well-known portrait is considered a masterpiece from Klimt’s “golden style” of artwork, according to Neue Galerie, the New York City museum that has the portrait on permanent display today. 

The year Klimt was commissioned for the artwork, he visited the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, according to the source, where he became deeply inspired by the sixth century mosaics. The “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” was made in a style he had great admiration for. 

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After many sketches were drawn out and four years of work, the “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” was completed in 1907. The portrait displays Adele in golden tones in an ambiguous position, leaving the viewer unsure if the Jewish socialite is sitting or standing. 

She is covered in expensive jewelry, including bracelets on her wrists and a diamond choker around her neck, a wedding present from her husband, according to Neue Galerie. 

The “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” is considered one of Gustav Klimt’s most famous paintings.  (Culture Club/Getty Images)

In January 1925, Adele died suddenly after contracting meningitis at the age of 43. After her death, the portrait was displayed in the Bloch-Bauer home in Vienna until the Nazis invaded Austria in 1938.  Ferdinand fled from his home, leaving his valuable art collection, including the “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” behind. The collection was seized by the Nazis, according to Christie’s. 

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In November 1945, Ferdinand died and was never able to retrieve his art collection. The “Portrait of Adele Bach-Bauer I” spent many years being displayed in Vienna, renamed “Woman in Gold,” according to Neue Galerie. 

The family heirs, specifically Maria Altmann, who escaped from Vienna and settled in California, fought for the return of the art collection. In 1998, the Federal Art Restitution Act was passed in Austria, which declared stolen works of art and cultural objects be returned to their rightful owners or heirs. 

Altmann and her lawyer, Eric Randol Schoenberg, began a legal battle to reclaim her family’s art collection in a case that garnered a lot of attention from the public. 

Maria Altmann’s court battle for the collection of paintings belonging to her family was turned into a movie, “Woman in Gold.”  (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for The Weinstein Company)

In January 2006, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of Altmann, and she took possession of the paintings. 

The 2015 movie “Woman in Gold” depicts this legal battle with Helen Mirren as Altmann and Ryan Reynolds as her lawyer. 

In June 2006, the portrait was purchased for $135 million by Ronald Lauder, according to Christie’s. 

The “Portrait of Adele Bach-Bauer I” is permanently displayed at Neue Galerie in New York City.