Monday, March 31, 2008

Painting of the Week: #3 Most Expensive

I have been fascinated by Klimt's paintings lately and was glad to see that one of them made the list. I'm not quite sure if it's the gold technique that I love or the way that he combines it with the oil painted figure or the sense of movement through pattern... regardless, it is a beautiful painting. What do you think about it?

The painting for this week is the #3 most expensive ever sold. Completed by Gustav Klimt in 1907, "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer" measures 138 X 138cm. In 2006, it was sold to Ronald Lauder for $135 million which made it the most expensive ever sold up to that point until the top spot was taken by #1 and #2 later that same year.

From Wikipedia:

"Klimt took three years to complete the painting...made of oil and gold on canvas, showing elaborate and complex ornamentation as seen in the Jugendstil style. Klimt was a member of the Vienna Secession, a group of artists that broke away from the traditional way of painting. The picture was painted in Vienna and commissioned by Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer[2]... Adele Bloch-Bauer became the only model who was painted twice by Klimt when he completed a second picture of her, Adele Bloch-Bauer II, in 1912."

4 comments:

Annette said...

Now that one might actually be worth $135 mil. I really like it. Very classy and visually interesting.

Renae said...

O.K. here is piece of artwork that I could actually appreciate--whatever that says about me. I like the gold also...thanks for keeping us "cultured".

Kizzy said...

That's a pretty cool picture. Maybe I'll buy one for my apartment...ha ha maybe when I find some buried treasure:)

Kevin & Natalie said...

Hello!
First I wanted to tell you thank you again for letting Kevin and I come and visit last week. It was short but we had so much fun, thank you. AND I wanted to let you know I started Twilight yesterday…and finished yesterday! Ooopps. Luckily Kevin was home and I couldn’t but the book down. So thank you for letting me borrow it. I need your address so I can send it back to you. You can just email me, nath104@yahoo.com I’ll try and send it as soon as I can. Thank you, I’ll be starting the second one today!
nat