In brief
The Vienna-based gallery Wienerroither and Kohlbacher revealed a newly discovered Klimt portrait, dated from the late 19th century, of an African prince that was showcased at TEFAF Maastricht, with a major museum interested in acquisition.
A long-lost portrait by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt, depicting Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona, has resurfaced at the TEFAF Maastricht art fair in the Netherlands and is currently under negotiation for sale, according to the Vienna-based gallery offering the artwork. The striking 26-inch-high head-and-shoulders portrait, set against a floral backdrop, piqued significant interest among visitors at the fair. It is priced at 15 million euros, roughly $16.4 million.Lui Wienerroither, co-founder of Wienerroither and Kohlbacher, confirmed that negotiations are underway with a major museum, although he withheld the name of the institution. Unlike modern art fairs, high-value transactions at TEFAF Maastricht, which focuses on older art, generally conclude post-event, giving buyers adequate time to address questions regarding their potential acquisitions' provenance and attribution. "Processes of due diligence have to be followed," Wienerroither remarked.The portrait depicts a member of a group from the Gold Coast, now known as Ghana, who were featured in colonial "human zoos" that toured Europe in the late 19th century. In the summer of 1896, the individuals were showcased in a recreative African village at Vienna's Zoological Garden. Klimt may have encountered them during this period. The exhibition was incredibly popular, drawing between 5,000 to 6,000 daily visitors, and gained literary attention from Austrian writer Peter Altenberg in his work, "Ashantee."Discovered in 2023, the painting was brought into the gallery by an Austrian couple. Initially in poor condition and crudely framed, its verification as a genuine Klimt was facilitated by the discovery of a barely legible stamp from the artist's estate on the artwork's rear. Collaborating with Alfred Weidinger, an expert on Klimt's art, the gallery confirmed that Klimt painted a portrait of a prince from the Osu people, and its whereabouts had been a mystery for years.Further research revealed that the painting remained with Klimt until his death in 1918 and was subsequently auctioned from his estate in 1923. It gained attention again in 1928 when it was part of a Klimt memorial exhibition in Vienna, loaned from local collector Ernestine Klein. As negotiations with the major museum continue, art enthusiasts and historians alike are eagerly awaiting the painting's future and the revelations it may bring.
