In brief
The artwork, a striking portrait of an African prince, was recently showcased at the TEFAF Maastricht art fair and is now in discussions for acquisition by a prestigious museum. The painting's history is tied to colonial exhibitions in Europe during the late 19th century and was re-identified after being brought to a Vienna gallery.
A pivotal moment in art history occurred at the recent TEFAF Maastricht art fair in the Netherlands, where a long-lost portrait by renowned artist Gustav Klimt, depicting Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona, resurfaced, igniting interest across the art world. The approximately 26-inch portrait, set against a floral backdrop, was displayed by Viennese gallery, Wienerroither and Kohlbacher, at a value of 15 million euros (around $16.4 million). Gallery co-founder Lui Wienerroither confirmed that negotiations were underway with a significant museum—although the institution's identity remains undisclosed. He emphasized that sales of high-value works in events like TEFAF are typically finalized post-fair to allow potential buyers ample time for thorough provenance and attribution inquiries. “Processes of due diligence have to be followed,” he noted.This painting depicts Prince William, a member of the Osu people from contemporary Ghana, who was among individuals displayed in colonial "human zoos" during the late 19th century. Such exhibitions were significant spectacles in Europe; notably, in the summer of 1896, the mock-African village that exhibited these individuals in Vienna attracted thousands of visitors daily. The impact of this exhibition has been explored in literature, including Peter Altenberg's contemporary novel, "Ashantee."The portrait recently came into public view when an Austrian couple presented the unsigned, previously overlooked work at the gallery in 2023. It was in a dilapidated frame and dirty condition, but further inspections revealed a faint Gustav Klimt estate stamp on the back. Experts, including Alfred Weidinger, a key figure in Klimt studies, verified its authenticity, confirming Klimt's long-lost painting of the Ghanaian prince—a work noted to be present during the artist's estate following his death in 1918.Research traced the painting's journey to an auction sale in 1923 and subsequent inclusion in a Klimt memorial exhibition in Vienna just five years later, loaned from a local collector named Ernestine Klein. As negotiations advance, the art community remains eager to witness the future of this remarkable historical piece.
