One of the top lots of the evening auction of impressionist and modern Sotheby's on June 24 will be a "Portrait of Gertrude lion" by Gustav Klimt. Work sell by mutual consent of the Fund Klimt (where the work is stored) and granddaughter of the pre-war owner of Gertrude Leo

Work by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt offered for auction at Sotheby's as a result of the agreement reached between the Fund Klimt (which is now) and granddaughter of its pre-war owner. We are talking about the "Portrait of Gertrude lion" in 1902, which put on an evening art auction of impressionist and modern Sotheby's on June 24 in London with an estimate of £12-18 million ($18-28 million).

the portrait depicts a 19-year-old daughter of a famous Viennese physician Anton Loew (Anton Loew), in a private sanatorium which Gustav Klimt was treated. The portrait was painted in 1902 and remained in the family lion until 1939, when Gertrude was forced to flee from Vienna to the U.S., fleeing from Nazi persecution. By the time she was for many years a widow after her second marriage with a Hungarian industrialist Elamaram Baruch von Falcoware (Elemer von Baruch Felsovanyi).

"Portrait of Gertrude lion" has got Gustav Ucicky (Gustav Ucicky), filmmaker and presumably illegitimate son Gustav Klimt and the maids in his house Mary Okicki. Gustav Ucicky acquired several works by his alleged father, including a portrait of Gertrude. After the Director's death his collection passed to the widow Ursula, founded in 2013, the Fund Klimt@

"One of the conditions of the transfer of works from the collection of Ursula Ucicky to the Fund Klimt was solving questions related to the provenance of works, says Lucien Simmons, head of the international Department of Sotheby's restitution. — From the widow made great efforts to find a solution".

as a result of negotiations held with the granddaughter of Gertrude lion-Falcoware, it was decided to return the successor of five drawings by Klimt, "Portrait of Gertrude lion" to auction and then divide the proceeds of sale. In what ratio it will be divided, the parties have not razglashat@

Estimate for this work was exhibited based on the price of 29 million dollars, paid in 2010 for the unfinished painting "Portrait of RIA Munk" brush Klimt. Stylistically, "Portrait of Gertrude lion", a young girl in a flimsy dress with shades of blue, closer to the XIX century and predates the "Golden period" of Klimt. The story of the restitution, the more it has been settled, can only add interest to potential buyers, because, in fact, a thing never exhibited at Torgi@

Material was prepared by Maria Onuchin, AI

Источники: nytimes.com, artinvestment.ru