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Klimt's 'Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer' Fetches $236.4 Million

11/19/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Gustav Klimt's 'Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer' sold for $236.4 million at Sotheby's in New York on November 18, 2025, making it the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction, and the evening total reached $575.5 million.
The painting was created between 1914 and 1916 and depicts the daughter of Klimt's patron in a Chinese robe.
Six bidders competed for 20 minutes, pushing the price beyond the initial $150 million estimate.

History

Historical Context

The 2015 auction of Pablo Picasso's 'Les Femmes d'Alger' for $179.4 million at Sotheby's in New York exemplified the soaring art market, following a trend initiated in the 1980s when Vincent van Gogh's 'Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers' set a record at £24.75 million. This sale underscored the increasing competition among collectors for iconic artworks, reshaping art valuation globally.

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Story summary

Gustav Klimt's 'Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer' sold for $236.4 million at Sotheby's in New York on November 18, 2025, making it the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction, and the evening total reached $575.5 million.
The painting was created between 1914 and 1916 and depicts the daughter of Klimt's patron in a Chinese robe.
Six bidders competed for 20 minutes, pushing the price beyond the initial $150 million estimate.

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