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Klimt’s ‘Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer’ Sells for $236.4 Million, Second-Highest Auction Price Ever

The buyer remains undisclosed at Sotheby’s first sale in its Breuer headquarters.

Overview

  • Bidding lasted about 20 minutes, with a $205 million hammer price climbing to roughly $236.4 million including fees.
  • Sotheby’s reported new records for a Klimt at auction and for the most valuable lot in the company’s history.
  • The painting was consigned from the estate of Leonard A. Lauder as part of an autumn sale of his collection.
  • Other Klimt works from the Lauder holdings sold the same night, including Blühende Wiese for $86 million and Waldhang in Unterach for $68.3 million.
  • Total proceeds from the session reached about $527.5 million, and the winning bidder’s identity was not disclosed.