At $236.4 million, Gustav Klimt's portrait of his patrons' daughter sold at a Sotheby's auction for more than any painting in history except for Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi, which brought in over $450 million in 2017.

Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer just brought in $236.4 million at a Sotheby’s sale. This staggering price makes it the second most expensive painting to ever sell at auction.

The portrait, which the Austrian artist painted between 1914 and 1916, depicts the daughter of some of his biggest patrons. This was the first time it had been on the market since the 1980s, when it was purchased by Estée Lauder heir Leonard Lauder. The new buyer has not been identified, but they now own a piece of art history.

Gustav Klimt’s Painting Breaks Records

The Sotheby’s

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