When Gustav Klimt died in early 1918, he left behind a studio in Vienna that felt more like a cluttered museum than a workspace. Right there, propped up on an easel, sat Lady with a Fan. It wasn't just a painting; it was the final word from a man who spent his life obsessed with the curve of a shoulder and the shimmer of a pattern. This specific canvas, known in German as Dame mit Fächer, recently shook the world by fetching a staggering $108.4 million (£85.3 million) at a Sotheby’s London auction in June 2023.
That price tag made it the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction in Europe. Honestly, it’s a bit wild when you think about it. For decades, it was a "hidden" masterpiece, tucked away in private collections, rarely seen by the public. Then, suddenly, it's the center of a ten-minute bidding war involving four determined collectors.
Why Lady with a Fan Broke the Internet (and the Bank)
Most people know Klimt for the "Golden Period"—think The Kiss with all that heavy gold leaf. But Lady with a Fan is different. It’s "late Klimt." By 1917, he’d moved past the literal gold and started painting with a kind of raw, expressive freedom.
The background isn't just a wall; it’s a fever dream of Asian motifs. You've got the Chinese phoenix (the Fenghuang) and a golden pheasant floating in a buttery yellow sky. It’s lush. It’s flat-out gorgeous. The lady herself—whose identity remains a mystery, though some whisper she might have been a dancer—stands there with a robe slipping off one shoulder.
She isn't looking at us like a submissive model. She’s looking through us.
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The Mystery of the Sitter
Who was she? That’s the question that keeps art historians up at night. Unlike the famous Adele Bloch-Bauer, this woman hasn't been definitively named. Some experts, like those at the Belvedere in Vienna, suggest she was likely one of Klimt’s favorite models, potentially a dancer from the local music halls.
What makes her so compelling is the "sketchy" nature of the work. If you look closely at the upper arm, there’s a sliver of unpainted canvas. Klimt was literally still working on this when he suffered a stroke in January 1918. He died just weeks later. This isn't a "finished" painting in the traditional sense, but that’s exactly why it’s so valuable. It’s a snapshot of a genius in mid-thought.
The Long Journey to the Record Books
This painting has quite a passport. It didn't just sit in a vault for a hundred years.
- 1918: Found on the easel after Klimt's death.
- 1920s: Acquired by the industrialist Erwin Böhler, a friend of the artist.
- 1960s: Owned by the legendary collector Rudolf Leopold.
- 1994: Sold at Sotheby’s New York for $11.6 million—a record back then, too.
- 2023: Secured by art dealer Patti Wong for a client in Hong Kong for over $108 million.
The 2023 sale was a massive jump. Basically, the market for Klimt has exploded because his portraits are incredibly rare. Most of them are locked away in museums like the Belvedere or the Neue Galerie. When a "fresh" one hits the market, the ultra-wealthy start reaching for their checkbooks.
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Japonisme and the "Flat" Look
Klimt was a hoarder of Japanese and Chinese art. His studio was packed with kimonos and woodblock prints. You can see that influence in the square format of Lady with a Fan. The square shape was a very "Secessionist" move—it makes the painting feel modern and balanced, almost like a precursor to the Instagram crop, but way more sophisticated.
The way the patterns of her robe bleed into the background is a masterclass in "Japonisme." He wasn't trying to create 3D depth. He wanted a decorative, shimmering surface that felt like a dream.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Painting
A common misconception is that this was a commissioned portrait. It wasn't. Because there was no wealthy husband or socialite paying for it, Klimt had total creative control. He wasn't painting to please a client; he was painting for himself.
Another thing? People often think Klimt's work is "just" pretty. But look at the phoenix in the background. In Chinese mythology, the phoenix represents rebirth and grace. Painting this at the height of World War I, while he was aging and the world was falling apart, feels like a deliberate choice. It’s a defiant stand for beauty in a time of chaos.
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The "Technical Tour de Force"
Helena Newman, the auctioneer who handled the record-breaking sale, called it a "technical tour de force." She wasn't just hyping it up. The way Klimt used different textures—thick impasto for the flowers and thin, almost translucent washes for the skin—is incredible.
The painting actually returned to Vienna briefly in 2021 for an exhibition at the Belvedere. It was the first time it had been seen in its "home" city in over a century. Thousands of people lined up just to get a glimpse of this woman and her fan.
Actionable Insights for Art Lovers
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of Klimt or start your own "collection" (even if it's just high-quality prints), here is how to appreciate Lady with a Fan like a pro:
- Look for the "Unfinished" Bits: Zoom in on the edges. Finding where the artist stopped is like seeing a "behind-the-scenes" of his process.
- Study the Symbols: Research the Fenghuang and the crane. Knowing what these birds mean adds a layer of narrative to the "pretty" yellow background.
- Compare Late vs. Early Klimt: Put a picture of The Kiss (1907) next to Lady with a Fan (1918). You’ll notice how he traded stiff, metallic gold for fluid, vibrant brushwork.
- Visit the Belvedere (Virtually or In-Person): While this specific painting is now in a private collection in Hong Kong, the Belvedere houses the world's largest collection of Klimt's work. Their digital archives offer high-resolution looks at his other "sisters" to this masterpiece.
The sale of Lady with a Fan reminds us that art isn't just a commodity—it's a time capsule. This painting captures the very last breaths of "Fin-de-Siècle" Vienna, a world that was about to disappear forever. Whether it’s worth $100 million or $100, the gaze of that unnamed lady still holds a power that no auction hammer can diminish.