"The 50 Paintings" Project 

Painting # 2

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer  by Gustav Klimt

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109 years back  Gustav Klimt painted the above portrait  showing Adele Bloch Bauer in a golden gown.

 Egyptian symbols and various sizes of rectangles and other shapes adorned the gown. 

He painted this portrait in oil paints and used Gold Leaf. 

Adele Bloch Bauer

Gustav Klimt

Who was Adele ?

Adele and her husband Ferdinand Bloch Bauer were among Vienna's most prominent and wealthy art patrons.

Adele died at the age of 43 and after 13 years her husband Ferdinand, had to flee to Zurich when the Nazis invaded Austria . Most of his properties in Austria, including this Klimt painting, were looted.

The Gestapo raided their home  taking all her valuables.         The diamond necklace that the lady wears in the painting were given to Hitler's deputy, Commander Hermann Göring, as a gift for his wife, Emmy. There was evidence she wore it to Nazi parties. :(

Ferdinand was never to go back to his home in Vienna for he died in Zurich. :( :(

But his  niece Maria Altmann fought a hard battle with the Government of Austria and succeeded in getting the paintings back to New York in 2006. :):)

Maria Altmann with her Aunt's Portrait

P.S (You can check out  the movie "Woman in Gold" for the entire story :)

Look out for Painting # 3.... Lots of  Love.