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. 

IS BUYING ART A GOOD INVESTMENT? A GUIDE TO WHAT MAKES ART VALUABLE AND WHERE TO BUY

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. 

WHO IS BANKSY? THE ENGLAND-BASED STREET ARTIST’S WORK IS WELL-KNOWN, BUT HIS IDENTITY IS A MYSTERY

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. 

China has initiated an anti-subsidy investigation into dairy products imported from the European Union, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Wednesday, in a sign of an escalating trade spat between Brussels and Beijing.

The probe – requested by two state-backed industry groups – was discussed in consultation with the European Commission on August 14, the statement claims. The investigation should be concluded within 12 months but could be extended for another six.

The probe will target EU subsidies in the production of fresh and processed cheese, blue cheese and other cheese, milk and cream products. The Chinese ministry says 20 subsidy programmes in eight member states – Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Italy and Romania – will be under investigation.

These include some subsidy programmes under the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).

The tit-for-tat move comes less than 24 hours after the EU executive signalled its intention to slap definitive tariffs of up to 36.3% on the imports of China-made Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), following a nine-month anti-subsidy inquiry.

That probe found Beijing was pumping generous subsidies across its entire BEV value chain, giving Chinese companies an unfair advantage and threatening to suffocate the EU’s domestic industry by artificially deflating BEV prices.

The EU is also investigating the potentially damaging impact of Chinese subsidies for producers of wind turbines and solar panels on the 27-country bloc’s industry.

Beijing has already launched tit-for-tat anti-dumping investigations into EU pork, liquor and chemical products, as well as a probe into the public procurement of medical devices.

Commission spokesperson Olof Gill “took note” of the Chinese government’s decision in a statement shared with Euronews.

“The Commission will now analyse the application and will follow the proceeding very closely, in coordination with EU industry and Member States,” Gill added.

“The Commission will firmly defend the interests of the EU dairy industry and the Common Agricultural Policy, and intervene as appropriate to ensure that the investigation fully complies with relevant WTO rules.”

Borrell warns against ‘systematic confrontation’

On Tuesday, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, said the bloc should avoid a “systematic confrontation” with China, as trade tensions between both sides threaten to spill over.

“Our political systems are different, but that shouldn’t lead to a systemic and permanent rivalry,” Borrell said, speaking during the annual “Quo Vadis Europa?” conference in the Spanish city of Santander. “That’s not in our interest.”

But Borrell, who is set to step down after five years at the helm of the EU’s diplomatic arm this autumn, also warned that a trade war between China and other world powers could be inevitable.

“We have no interest in embarking the world on a trade war. However it’s possible that this trade war (… ) is inevitable,” he explained. “It’s in the logic of things.”

He also indicated that Europe’s interests will not always match those of the US, and urged the bloc should to be more ready to do things its own way.

“When they (the US) take trade measures against China – because they do so – they don’t ask us if it suits us or not (in Europe),” Borrell said

“When they ban the import of Chinese cars, or place deterring tariffs, they don’t ask themselves where these Chinese cars that will not go to the US will go. Where will they go? To which other market can they go? Well of course, to the European market, and that causes a competitiveness problem for our industry,” he added.

CHICAGO — Protesters interrupted a live broadcast of CBS’ “The Late Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday night, shouting loudly from the balcony of the Auditorium Theatre several times during two segments with former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Pelosi was there to discuss the Democratic National Convention and also her new book, “The Art of Power.” Several minutes into Colbert’s segment with Pelosi, a protester began shouting from above regarding the war in Gaza.

Colbert addressed the person and the audience stating, “For the people who can’t tell, there’s a protest going on in the audience.”

The host then swiftly threw it to a commercial, while stating that he had planned to ask Pelosi about the protests and concerns regarding the Middle East. “The subject is on Israel and Palestine and if you have a seat, we have to go to the commercial break,” Colbert said. “When we come back, I’ll ask the next question I had on that subject.”

Colbert’s conversation with Pelosi began with a discussion about her involvement in President Joe Biden’s decision to step down from the 2024 Presidential race. Pelosi balked at the idea of being labeled the “architect” of that choice, and even at first said she hadn’t called Biden at all. The second night of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” live at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre, right after the Democratic National Convention, was unexpectedly interrupted.

When they returned, Colbert first finished his questions about Biden, and whether it was rare to see a leader give up power in that way. He then switched gears.

“Let’s talk about another aspect of power: The U.S. using its power overseas,” he said, pivoting back to the question from the protestors. “As I said earlier, there is a political protestor here. There is a political convention in town, you are politician and protests are natural. People are protesting, even within the Democratic party, there is dissension over what is the proper use of American power, especially ourprotected power overseas, both firm and soft power. If the goal is the peaceful and prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians, what role does the United States play?”

Pelosi’s response focused first on President Biden’s current and past track record in foreign policy. “Let me just say this was a role that President Biden played very well for years he was chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee,” said Pelosi. “He was a senator for a long time, Vice President and President. So his experience globally has been huge.”

Pelosi recounted attending the inauguration of John F. Kennedy, during which he gave his now iconic address, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Pelosi noted that, “The very next sentence that he says in the speech is, ‘To the countries of the world, ask not what America can do for you, but what we can do working together for the freedom of mankind.’ That is our mission… So yes, we have had a commitment to Israel. It’s been in our security interest to do so. Israel was attacked by a terrorist organization. We want the hostages freed. But we don’t want children killed in Gaza. And so we have to come up with a solution. And right now, we just got word earlier today that Israel had agreed to the cease-fire agreement. We’re hoping that Hamas will too. But it takes me to the point of saying to you, war has no role in a civilized society. We have to learn more about trust and peace.”

During the end portion of this response, an audience member began shouting, repeating her words, “And war has no role in a civilized society,” followed by several other audience members also shouting, to which Colbert responded, “As you can see from the continuing protest out here, that answer is unsatisfying to some people. Would you like to respond to what they’re saying?”

Colbert then turned to the protestor and asked if they would like a response to their question asking if they would “listen” Pelosi’s response. Switching back to Pelosi, he then directed the question to her, “They have said that the United States should not have any role in supplying Israel arms to kill people of Gaza. That’s what they are saying.”

“Israel has a right to defend itself,” Pelosi said. “But the other part of it is that’s been so major for all of us for many years is that there must be two-state solution. You cannot have peace unless you have a two-state solution. Israel, a secure Jewish democratic state in the region. And the Palestinians having their own, secure country there as well. Unless you have a two-state solution, you will not have a resolution of this.”

At this point the shouting increased and Colbert instructed the protestors, “Please don’t interrupt my guest.”

Colbert then ended the segment. “Madame Speaker, we’re a live show and we have to go at this point. Please come again and we can continue the conversation.”

Pelosi then attempted to change the subject by ending, “I have to say, isn’t it great to be in Chicago?” The segment went to commercial shortly after. There wasn’t any further interruptions during the show; according to insiders, all protestors left on their own accord, and the matter was handled peacefully.

Hakeem Jeffries was the next guest, and Colbert also asked him about the ongoing conflict in Gaza in a hypothetical asking: How would a Speaker Jeffries advise a President Harris?

“What President Biden is doing right now, what Kamala Harris is doing as part of the Biden-Harris administration, to do everything possible to try to achieve a cease-fire agreement,” Jefferies said. “To bring the hostages home, to surge humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians who are in harms way, through no fault of their own. Surge that aid immediately and continuously. And to find a path toward a just and lasting peace. A safe and secure Israel and the Palestinian people being able to experience the dignity and self-determination that they deserve.”

At the end of the night, after the show went off the air, Colbert addressed the audience and thanked them for coming, expressing his gratitude — but didn’t further address the protestors. “Thank you for a lovely night, it means the world for us, for you all to come out,” he said. “And I can’t begin to tell you what a joy it is to play this house in Chicago.”

As the Democratic National Convention has gotten underway in Chicago, protests have taken place around the city, including one on Tuesday where dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters and Chicago police clashed on Tuesday during a demonstration outside the Israeli Consulate in downtown Chicago.

The Auditorium Theatre is located in the South Loop area, several miles from the DNC, but a large number of police could be seen stationed outside the Auditorium as audience members filed out of the theater around 12:40 a.m. CT.

This is day two of Colbert’s Chicago live run, with Monday’s episode wrapping up just after 1 a.m. Central Time.