A curious story regarding on the indignation of an entire nation. Una curiosa historia referida a la indignación de una nación entera.

1. Music: Piano solo by Aldo Ciccolini Gymnopédie Nº1 (Erik Satie) Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt, 1907 Posters in the streets of Vienna to express indignation at having to say goodbye to the “Portrait of Adele”. What was the reason?

2. Music: Piano solo by Aldo Ciccolini Gymnopédie Nº1 (Erik Satie) Posters in the streets of Vienna to express indignation at having to say goodbye to the “Portrait of Adele”. What was the reason?

3. Gustav Klimt took three years to complete in a mixing of gold and oil on canvas, this “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I”. She was the wife of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, a wealthy industrialist from Vienna, Austria. Adele Bloch-Bauer, in her will, asked her husband to donate the Klimt painting to the Austrian State Gallery upon his death. She died in 1925. When the Nazis took over Austria, her widowed husband had to flee to Switzerland. His property, including the Klimt painting, was confiscated. As Bloch-Bauer's picture had remained in Austria all through the time, the government took the position that the testament of Adele Bloch-Bauer had determined that this picture were to stay there. After a protracted court battle the Supreme Court of the United States curiously changed the "Anti Retroactivity Doctrine" to establish in 2006 that Maria Altman was the rightful owner of this painting by Klimt. Just months after the Austrian government had returned Ms. Altman's family's heirloom to her, she consigned the Klimt to the auction house Christie’s, to be sold on her behalf. The “Portrait of Adele” by Klimt was sold for US$135 million to Ronald Lauder for his Neue Galerie in New York City in June 2006, which made it at that time the most expensive painting ever sold. “ Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” has been on display in New York City since July 2006. Lauder’s comment on the acquisition for his Neue Galerie collection: “This is our Mona Lisa”. The ruling in favor of Maria Altman came as a great shock to the Austrian public and the government. The painting finally left Austria in March 2006 and was flown to USA. In his 1945 testament, Bloch-Bauer designated his nephew and nieces, including Maria Altman, as the inheritors of his estate.

4. “ Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” has been on display in New York City since July 2006. Lauder’s comment on the acquisition for his Neue Galerie collection: “This is our Mona Lisa”. The loss of the painting was regarded in Austria as a loss of national treasure.

7. http://www.slideshare.net/acartito [email_address] Biographical resources and Images are from Internet Music: Piano solo by Aldo Ciccolini Gymnopédie Nº1 (Erik Satie)

8. http://www.slideshare.net/acartito [email_address] Biographical resources and Images are from Internet Music: Piano solo by Aldo Ciccolini Gymnopédie Nº1 (Erik Satie)