Gustav Klimt's Last Masterpiece Expected to Break Auction Records with £65m Estimate
The final painting by artist Gustav Klimt, Lady with a Fan, is expected to fetch up to £65m when it is auctioned in London later this month, making it the most valuable painting ever offered at auction in Europe. The portrait of an unnamed woman was painted in 1918 and features strong Asian influences, including several Chinese motifs. Klimt celebrated the female body in his work, which was often considered controversial due to its erotic nature. The Lady with a Fan was not a commissioned piece and was painted entirely in the pursuit of his own interests.