A Gustav Klimt portrait painting shattered auction records on Tuesday, selling for an unprecedented $236 million at Sotheby's in New York, marking the highest price ever achieved for a modern art piece. The same auction also featured Maurizio Cattelan's provocative solid gold toilet, which fetched $12.1 million in what became an evening of extraordinary sales.
Klimt's "Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer" sparked a dramatic 20-minute bidding war among at least six collectors before reaching its record-breaking final price. The sale also represents the most expensive work of art ever sold by Sotheby's worldwide. The portrait depicts the young daughter of one of Klimt's patrons and holds special historical significance as one of the few works by the Austrian artist that survived World War II completely intact.
The painting's survival story adds to its remarkable value and provenance. While many of Klimt's other works were tragically destroyed in a fire at an Austrian castle during the war, this particular portrait was kept separately, preserving it for future generations. The piece was part of the extensive art collection owned by billionaire Leonard A. Lauder, heir to cosmetics giant The Estée Lauder Companies, who passed away earlier this year.
Alongside the Klimt masterpiece, Maurizio Cattelan's controversial artwork "America" – a fully functional toilet crafted from 223 pounds of 18-karat gold – drew significant attention and bidding. The Italian artist, known for his provocative works including taping a banana to a wall, created the piece as a satirical commentary on extreme wealth and excess. The bidding for the golden toilet began at approximately $10 million before reaching its final sale price of $12.1 million.
Cattelan has been notably outspoken about the piece's intended message, once explaining, "Whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise." Sotheby's described the unconventional artwork as "an incisive commentary on the collision of artistic production and commodity value," highlighting its significance as both art object and social critique.
The golden toilet has a colorful and somewhat criminal history that adds intrigue to its sale. This particular piece was one of two identical toilets that Cattelan created in 2016, with the other having been displayed at New York's Guggenheim Museum. The Guggenheim notably offered to lend their version to President Trump when he requested to borrow a Van Gogh painting, creating a memorable moment in art world politics.
The toilet's journey took a dramatic turn when it was later displayed at Blenheim Palace in England, the historic country manor where Winston Churchill was born. During its exhibition there, the artwork was stolen in a highly publicized heist that captured international attention. Two men were eventually convicted for the theft, but the stolen toilet's fate remains a mystery – investigators believe it was likely broken apart and melted down for its gold content.
This record-breaking Klimt sale continues a trend of strong performance for the artist's work in the auction market. In 2024, another Klimt portrait, "Portrait of Fräulein Lieser," was discovered and sold at a Vienna auction for $32 million after being long believed lost. That painting was particularly significant as one of Klimt's final works before his death in 1918.
Gustav Klimt, who worked primarily in Vienna during the early 1900s, remains one of the most celebrated artists of the Art Nouveau movement. While he may be best known to the general public for his iconic painting "The Kiss," Tuesday's sale demonstrates the continued market appetite and appreciation for his portraiture work, particularly pieces with strong provenance and historical significance.
The "America" toilet was prominently exhibited at Sotheby's New York headquarters in the weeks leading up to the auction, drawing curious visitors and media attention. The successful sale of both pieces reflects the current strength of the high-end art market, where collectors continue to pursue rare and provocative works despite broader economic uncertainties.
