Intelligence Squared Sotheby’s Talks | The Leonard A. Lauder Collection: Klimt and the Art of Connoisseurship
Nov 10, 2025
Helena Newman, Sotheby’s Chairman of Impressionist and Modern Art, shares insights on Klimt’s unique portrait techniques. Flavia Frigeri discusses the vibrant Viennese culture that influenced Klimt's work, while James Stourton highlights the broader cultural significance of Leonard Lauder's collection. They explore Klimt's evolution from his golden period to softer landscapes, the impact of World War I, and Lauder's philanthropic legacy in the art world. Together, they delve into the fascinating stories behind iconic pieces, including the extraordinary Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer.
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Portraiture Shifted By Photography
- Photography killed the old commemorative society portrait and opened space for portraiture as private artistic expression.
- Klimt's portraits belong to this new private, expressive tradition rather than public social representation.
How The Lederer Klimt Survived WWII
- The Lederer family's Klimt portrait survived WWII because authorities classified it as a family portrait and it was impounded rather than sold.
- Eric Lederer retrieved the painting after the war and it later reached Leonard Lauder via dealer Serge Sabarsky in 1985.
A Claim That May Have Saved Her
- Elisabeth Lied that Gustav Klimt was her father in an affidavit to secure Aryan parentage, a claim that likely helped her survive politically.
- The family's wartime fate remained tragic: Elisabeth and her mother died during the war while Eric escaped and preserved the portrait.