Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II
Painting on canvas • Gustav Klimt
Style & Movement
Vienna Secession / Art Nouveau
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas with complex layering and expressive, decorative brushwork
Creation Period
1912
Dimensions & Format
190 cm x 120 cm (75 in x 47 in); vertical rectangular format (Portrait)
Subject Description
A formal portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, the only model Klimt painted twice. She is depicted standing against a vibrant magenta background featuring Orientalist/Asian-inspired motifs, wearing a wide-brimmed black hat and a high-collared blue and white dress.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent (assuming original); the version shown is a digital display which appears to have high color accuracy.
Estimated Market Value
USD 150,000,000 - 180,000,000
Auction Estimate
USD 120,000,000 - 160,000,000
Provenance History
Commissioned by Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer; seized by Nazis in 1938; held by Belvedere Gallery, Vienna; returned to Maria Altmann in 2006; sold to Oprah Winfrey; sold to current private collector (likely in China).
Art Historical Significance
A masterpiece of Klimt's later 'multicolored' style, moving away from the 'Golden Phase.' It represents the height of Viennese high-society portraiture and was the subject of a major international restitution case.
Notable Features
Features a unique blend of Western portraiture with Chinoiserie background elements; notable for the monumental hat and the intense, saturated palette compared to Klimt's more famous gold-leaf works.
Condition Issues
None recorded for the original; digital representation may vary in color temperature due to screen settings.
Conservation Recommendations
For the physical original: strict climate control (50% RH), UV-filtered glazing, and minimal light exposure. For the display: maintain screen calibration.