SakshiThe Woman In Gold
Maria Altmann was one of those victims who fell prey to Nazi’s plunder and looting. The woman’s painting named “Women in Gold” was designed by Gustav Klimt. Unfortunately, the painting got stolen by the Nazis. Well, you must be wondering why the woman was so attached to this painting? Klimt called the painting “Portrait of Adele Block-Bauer I.” The man gave it this name after the woman who was featured in the painting i.e. Maria Altmann’s aunt Adele. The Nazis took away the painting after Ferdinand Bloch Bauer, Adele’s husband left the country. It was post World War II, the painting finally reached the Austrian State Gallery.
Insufferable Thieves
the woman clearly remembers the moment when the plundering took place. She recalled, “they just came and took things. They didn’t ask you.” They picked every jewelry and paintings they could get their hands on and took away with themselves. The Nazis also looted Adele’s gold leaf 1907 portrait. She further stated, “They just rang the doorbell and I opened it and there they were. They were not in uniform because it was Gestapo and they didn’t wear uniforms. My father died two weeks after that, it was absolutely a broken heart – he died of a broken heart.”
Hermann Göring’s Wife, Emmy
The necklace the woman is wearing in the portrait was too stole away by the Nazis. Later on, it was gifted to the Luftwaffe commander Hermann Göring who gave it to his wife Emmy. The woman bragged about the gift in different parties. Altmann described, “They immediately asked me for my jewelry which I had just gotten from my uncle for my wedding present.” “It was Adele’s beautiful diamond necklace with the earrings to match. That went to Mrs. Göring,” she added.
Reclamation And Restitution
Many years flew by and finally, the time came when the Nazi-stolen art was being returned to its original owners. The news gave her hope and the courage to go to any extent to get her painting back. At the ripe age of 82, she fought the battle and won it. The old woman managed to get half a dozen of her paintings back. “The Woman in Gold” happened to be one of those.
Another Auction
In June 2006 Ronald Lauder bought the painting from Altman. Ronald is the son of Estée Lauder. The painting was traded for whopping $135 million. It was a record as no painting had ever cost this much of money. Lauder later brought the painting to Neue Galerie Museum in New York. The painting now is put on public display as wished by her aunt Adele who died in 1925. This was one of the many stories that are attached to this painting.
The Basis Of A Mystery Novel
Though the experts managed to find out a lot about Solange’s life, one doubt still remained unsolved. This was a fact that Solange never returned to her apartment after settling in the countryside. How she used to pay the rent if she never got back to the place. Did she know that the painting that was in her apartment was of great value? If yes, then why didn’t she took it with her while going away?
This amazing true story fascinated many people and one among them was Michelle Gable who went on to write a book on it in 2014, named, “A Paris Apartment”.