The Artwork of Gustav Klimt, which was considered lost for nearly a century, has appeared at an art fair.

Portrait of Prince William Nii Nortey Dovouni Discovered after 90 Years

A portrait of Prince William Nii Nortey Dovouni by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt is on display in the Netherlands. This painting was considered lost for 90 years.

The estimated value of the painting is 15 million euros. The exhibition was organized by the Vienna gallery Wienerroither & Kohlbacher at the art fair in Maastricht.

The gallery received the painting from two collectors in 2023. The canvas was very dirty, and the Klimt estate seal on it was practically indistinguishable. The gallery confirmed the painting's authenticity in collaboration with art historian Alfred Weidinger, who had been searching for it for two decades.

The portrait depicts a member of the Ga people in West Africa - Prince William Nii Nortey Dovouni. Klimt painted the artwork in 1897 during the colonial ethnographic show Völkershau, which was popular in Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. The work was likely commissioned but remained the property of the artist.

The painting was sold at auction from Klimt's estate in 1923, and in 1928 it was lent for an exhibition by Ernestina Klein, who moved to Monaco with her husband. After that, the whereabouts of the canvas remained unknown until 2023.

Recall that in March of this year, a painting by Banksy titled Crude Oil (Vettriano), created by self-taught American artist, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction, presented for sale by Mark Hoppus of Blink-182.

It has also been revealed that actress Sharon Stone is the owner of a painting by Ukrainian artist Artur Soletsky. The work titled 'A Big Little Dream' was created by Soletsky in 2023.