Sale of the 'Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer' (November 24, 2025)

Investigation Into a $236 Million Painting

ℹ️ What? A painting, Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, which was sold at auction for 236.4 million US dollars, becoming the second most expensive work ever sold.

👤 Who? Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), a famous Austrian painter, who is the author of the work. However, it is unknown who purchased the piece...

🌍 Where? In New York, at Sotheby’s auction house.

🕰️ When? This sale took place on November 18, 2025.

❓ Why is it important? Because this painting is rare, highly sought-after, and has a strong history (created between 1914-1916, belonged to a Viennese family and was later resold after various events) — this explains the very high price.

🎯 For this activity, your goal will be to learn about this painting and its author, the painter Gustav Klimt.

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Your goal today!

In November 2025, a very rare painting by the artist Gustav Klimt, Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, was sold at auction for the incredible sum of 236 million US dollars.

This sale made it the second most expensive work ever sold in the history of auctions!

Why can a painting be worth so much? Who was Gustav Klimt? And what makes Klimt so special? Today, you are going to explore this fascinating world of art and auctions.

🎯 For this activity, your goal will be to learn about this painting and its author, the painter Gustav Klimt.

The activity includes three steps:

STEP 1 — Behind the sale. You will get a better understanding of the deal behind the sale of this painting.

STEP 2 — Klimt: a unique style. You will discover what makes Gustav Klimt a globally known and acclaimed painter.

STEP 3 — The cost of art. Klimt's painting sold for 236 million dollars... What could be done with all that money???

This is what the final result of your activity will look like. →

Let's go! → 

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STEP 1 — Behind the sale

Here it is, the famous Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer! This large painting (it measures nearly two meters) was created between 1914 and 1916 by the painter Gustav Klimt, an Austrian artist. 

In this step, you will discover why Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer became one of the most expensive works ever sold.

First, we invite you to watch a video from the BBC showing you this special sale, which is called an auction.

Did you watch the video carefully? Ok! Let's continue! →

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STEP 1 — Behind the sale (continued)

Now that you know a little more about this auction, read these three short texts and answer the following questions.

👉 Write your answer here.
👉 Write your answer here.
👉 Go look it up in a dictionary!
👉 Write your answer here.

Are you done ? Let's proceed to Step 2 ! →

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STEP 2 — Klimt: a unique style

Gustav Klimt's style is unique, and it is easily recognizable... 

In this step, you will look at three of his most famous works to spot recurring elements. Pay close attention to the details, the characters, and the colors. Then, answer a few questions to describe, in your own words, what makes Klimt's paintings unique and easy to recognize.

👉 Look at the different shapes in the paintings.
👉Write your answer here.
👉Write your answer here.
👉Write your answer here.

Done ? Let's go to Step 3 ! →

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STEP 3 — The cost of art

Klimt's painting sold for a massive sum… But what does that really mean?

In this step, you'll have fun comparing $236.4 million to real-life things: schools, buses, houses, and even a purchase shared among friends!

These calculations will help you better visualize what such a huge amount represents. Ready for the surprises?

👉Write your answer here.
👉Write your answer here.
👉Write your answer here.
👉Write your answer here.

You have completed the activity! →

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Have you completed the activity? Review your work! If necessary, you can return to the activity to correct or change your answers.