The Woman in Gold story – who was she and what happened?
You've probably heard of the movie “Woman in Gold“, but did you know that the story is based on a true story? Maria Altmann, an Austrian-Jewish woman, fought for over a decade to regain a portrait of her Aunt Adele Bloch-Bauer, which had been stolen by the Nazis.
Maria's story is one of courage and determination, and ultimately, it is a story about justice. I hope that by sharing her story, I can inspire you to stand up for what you believe in and never give up.
The Woman in Gold story – who was she and what happened?
The ‘Woman in Gold’ story is one of the most famous art restitution cases of the 20th century. It began in 1925, when the Austrian-Jewish aristocrat Adele Bloch-Bauer died, leaving behind a valuable art collection that included several paintings by the world-renowned artist Gustav Klimt.
Klimt’s most famous painting, the ‘Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I’, was commissioned by Adele’s husband Ferdinand in 1907 and is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of the artist’s work. After Adele’s death, Ferdinand bequeathed the painting to the Austrian State Gallery on the condition that it would never leave Austria.
However, when Ferdinand died in 1938, his will was contested by his niece and nephew, who claimed that the paintings had been stolen by the Nazis during their invasion of Austria. The case dragged on for nearly 30 years, but in 2006 a US District Court ruled that the paintings rightfully belonged to Ferdinand’s heirs.
The story made headlines around the world when it was revealed that one of Ferdinand’s heirs was Maria Altmann, a 90-year-old Jewish woman living in Los Angeles. Altmann embarked on a brave crusade to recover her family’s lost artworks, and in 2006 she finally succeeded in having them returned to her. The painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer was sold to American businessman Ronald S. Lauder for $135 million, making it the most expensive painting ever sold at auction at that time.
The painting – what made it so special and why was it worth so much money?
The painting, Woman in Gold, was painted by Gustav Klimt in 1907. It is a portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, the wife of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer. The painting is made with oil and gold on canvas and is 1.40m x 1.17m.
The painting was commissioned by Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer and took three years to complete. It is said to be inspired by ancient Egyptian art as well as Byzantine mosaics. Klimt used a “golden ratio” in the painting, which creates a sense of harmony.
The painting was stolen by the Nazis in World War II and ended up in Austria. It was returned to Maria Altmann, the niece of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, in 2006. At this point, it was identified as one of the most expensive paintings ever sold, worth an estimated $ 135 million.
The trial – how did the case come about and what happened in court?
In 1998, Maria Altmann, an Austrian-American Jew, began a legal battle against the Austrian government for the return of five paintings by Gustav Klimt that had once belonged to her late uncle, Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller. The paintings hung in the Belvedere Palace in Vienna and were collectively known as the “Woman in Gold”.
The case was complex and dragged on for years, with multiple appeals and counter-appeals. In 2006, Altmann’s lawyers finally won a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that the paintings should be returned to her. But it wasn’t until 2008 that they were actually returned to Altmann – and by then, she had sold them for a combined total of $192 million.
The film – what was it about and what did critics think of it?
Woman in Gold is a 2015 film directed by Simon Curtis, starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds. The film is based on the true story of Maria Altmann (played by Mirren), an Austrian-Jewish woman who, after the death of her sister (played by Tatiana Maslany), hires American lawyer Randol Schoenberg (played by Reynolds) to help her retrieve a painting of their cousin Adele Bloch-Bauer (played by Antje Traue), which was stolen by the Nazis during World War II.
The film was generally well-received by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 73% “fresh” rating, based on 170 reviews, with an average score of 6.8/10. The site's consensus states: “Led by an arrangement of fine performances from Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds, Woman in Gold largely succeeds as a crowd-pleasing dramatization of an incredible real-life story.” On Metacritic, the film has a score of 60 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews”.
The legacy – what has happened to the painting since the story ended?
The painting stayed in the family for many years, but was eventually sold. It then changed hands several times, and is now owned by an American hedge fund manager.
The story of the painting and the film has brought much attention to the issue of art restitution, and has helped to raise awareness of the Nazi looting of art during the Second World War.
The moral – what can we learn from the story about art, greed and justice?
When the Nazis looted European museums and private art collections during World War II, they took hundreds of thousands of paintings, sculptures, drawings, and other art objects back to Germany. Many of these works were returned to their owners after the war, but others were not.
In the case of “Woman in Gold,” the story centers on one painting in particular: the Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. This painting was stolen from a Jewish family in Vienna by the Nazis, and after the war it ended up in an Austrian museum.
The Austrian government claimed that the painting belonged to them, since it had been found within their borders. But the Bloch-Bauer family argued that the painting had been stolen from them and should be returned.
This case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the Bloch-Bauer family. The painting was returned to them, and it was eventually sold at auction for $135 million—the highest price ever paid for a work of art at that time.
So what can we learn from this story about art, greed and justice?
First, it's important to remember that art is not just a commodity—it has a deep emotional value for many people. This is especially true when it comes to family heirlooms or other pieces with personal meaning.
Second, we should be careful not to be swayed by greed when it comes to art. Just because something is valuable doesn't mean that we have a right to take it or keep it if it doesn't belong to us.
Finally, this story reminds us that justice does eventually prevail—even if it takes many years and a lot of hard work.
The questions – what are the unanswered questions about the story?
There are a few questions that remain unanswered about the story of Woman in Gold. First, it is not clear how Maria Altmann managed to get the painting out of Austria. Second, it is not clear what happened to the painting after she sold it. Finally, it is not known what happened to the proceeds from the sale of the painting.
The future – what could happen next in the story?
There are several possibilities for what could happen next in the story. One possibility is that Maria Altmann could continue her fight to retrieve the painting, which she believes rightful belongs to her family. Another possibility is that she could decide to sell the painting, either to a private collector or to a museum. A third possibility is that she could donate the painting to a museum or other institution. Finally, it is also possible that she could keep the painting in her own home as a way of honoring her family's history.