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Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (Woman in Gold)

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (Woman in Gold)

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I

Gustav Klimt · 1907

Collection Neue Galerie New York · New York

Zoom in to the brushstrokes

The woman in this painting held a $100 million secret

Key Points

  • The masterpiece of Klimt's Golden Phase
  • A painting containing the love and fate of a Jewish couple
  • Stolen during the war, recovered after a court battle
  • Sold for $100 million, setting a world record price

Reading the Work

What's Depicted

This is Klimt's portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer. She sits wearing rich, flowing hair and golden garments. Her eyes reveal a calm yet powerful sense of identity. The entire painting is covered in gold, giving it a striking radiance.

Into the Painting

Klimt used gold in the painting to emphasize a sense of the sacred. Gold is scattered across her face and clothing, making her appear almost divine. The background is filled with intricate patterns and geometric forms that heighten visual interest. Her hands are rendered with particular care, emphasizing her identity.

Why It's a Masterpiece

This is the masterpiece of Klimt's Golden Phase, the work in which his style reached its peak. The gold in the painting symbolizes both sacredness and love. It represents Klimt's artistic achievement in art history. This painting has had a great influence on modern art.

Behind the Painting

The day the painting was stolen

In 1941, the Nazis seized this painting. Adele's husband, Ferdinand, was Jewish and, persecuted by the Nazis, fled to Switzerland. He was forced to leave the painting behind, and the Nazis confiscated his property. The painting was put on display at the Österreichische Galerie in Vienna.

Recovered after a court battle

In 1998, journalist Hubertus Czernin discovered that the painting had been looted by the Nazis. Ferdinand's niece, Maria Altmann, fought a legal battle with the help of her lawyer. In 2006, the painting was returned to Altmann. She later sold it for $135 million.

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Further reading · Neue Galerie New York · Public domain
Image: Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Last updated 2026-07-17