A Gustav Klimt portrait, “Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer,” sold for a record $236 million at Sotheby’s, making it the most expensive modern art piece ever sold. The auction also featured Maurizio Cattelan’s satirical golden toilet, “America,” which fetched $12.1 million. This toilet, known for its provocative commentary on wealth, had previously been on display at the Guggenheim Museum and was stolen in 2019. Klimt’s work, one of the few surviving pieces from WWII, was part of Leonard A. Lauder’s collection.
