A rediscovered portrait of Fraulein Lieser, with ties to a Jewish family in Austria, is set to go to auction on 24 April. Last seen in public in 1925, the portrait’s fate remained unclear until it resurfaced in the possession of the current owners’ family since the 1960s. The im Kinsky auction house values the painting at over $54 million (£42 million) and deems its rediscovery a “sensation.”
The portrait, once part of the Lieser family’s collection, will be auctioned on behalf of the current owners, respecting the Washington Principles—a global agreement to return Nazi-looted art to the rightful descendants. Before the auction, the painting will be showcased at various international locations, including the UK, Switzerland, Germany, and Hong Kong.
The Lieser family, affluent Jewish industrialists in Vienna, originally owned the portrait. The auction marks a significant step in returning lost art to its rightful heirs, following international agreements aimed at rectifying the injustices of Nazi-looted art.
