Klimt’s Lady With A Fan; who could have won the Sotheby's auction and who else are ardent art collectors?

The renowned work of Austrian painter Gustav Klimt has fetched a record fee after ‘Lady With A Fan’ achieved £85.3 million during its auction at RM Sotheby’s yesterday. The winning bid was made by a collector based in Hong Kong, overseen by art adviser Patti Wong who made the bid. The fee for Klimt’s work is the biggest art sale in Europe, eclipsing the amount Alberto Giacometti's bronze statue Walking Man I sold for in 2010.

That has opened up theories as to who is the collector that Patti Wong made the bid on behalf of; having opened Patti Wong and Associates earlier this year, there are a number of names based in Hong Kong that could have picked it up. 

Tatler Asia provided a list of ‘Hong Kong Art Collectors You Should Know,’ as looking over the list, and while former business banker William Zhao could be a leading candidate, given his first artwork he bought was a Picasso rather than modern works, the name Rosalie Wong has also been linked to Gustav Klimt previously. 

The daughter of the city’s former Equal Opportunities Commission chairman, Michael Wong Kin-chow had previously bought a Klimt, “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II,” from none other than Oprah Winfrey in 2010 as part of her “HomeArt” investment group; a “museum-grade” art investment fund she established with Hong Kong and Singapore-based asset management firm Zheng He Capital.

Where the work will appear now is the next question; if indeed it is HomeArt who have acquired the piece, it may end up being exhibited in a European art museum much like their last Klimt investment, which appeared in Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum at a major exhibition of Klimt in October 2022, with the source of the painting given as “Private Collection, Courtesy of HomeArt.”

Which major European art collectors may have also bid for Klimt’s Lady With A Fan?

Charles Saatchi

Saatchi gained prominence in the art world with the establishment of the Saatchi Gallery in 1985, which became a platform for showcasing emerging contemporary artists. The gallery played a pivotal role in promoting the Young British Artists (YBAs) movement, which included artists such as Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas, and many others.

Some notable artists whose works Saatchi has collected include Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Tracey Emin, Yayoi Kusama, Richard Prince, Anselm Kiefer, and many more. His collection has showcased artists from around the world and has been instrumental in launching the careers of several prominent contemporary artists.

Bernard Arnault 

Arnault's interest in art has led him to build an impressive art collection over the years. He has shown a particular passion for contemporary art and has acquired works by renowned artists from various periods. 

Arnault owns several works by the iconic Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, including important pieces such as "La Lecture" and "Femme au chapeau,” American pop artist Andy Warhol’s "Mao" and "Dollar Sign" and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s "Flexible" and "Sabra."

Francois Pinault

French billionaire businessman and art collector Francois Pinault, best known as the founder and chairman of luxury goods company Kering, has a deep passion for contemporary art and has amassed a remarkable collection of artworks by renowned artists.

In Pinault's collection, you will find iconic works by these artists. Some of the standout pieces include Jeff Koons' monumental sculptures like "Rabbit" and "Balloon Dog," Damien Hirst's controversial artwork "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living," Cy Twombly's expressive compositions such as "Untitled (Bacchus)," Cindy Sherman's thought-provoking "Untitled Film Stills," and Takashi Murakami's vibrant and playful creations that blend pop culture and traditional Japanese aesthetics.

Francois is married to Hollywood actress Salma Hayek.

David Geffen

Geffen's art collection comprises significant works by renowned artists, showcasing his appreciation for modern and contemporary art. Among the notable pieces in Geffen's collection are artworks by influential artists such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, and Jasper Johns.

These artists have made substantial contributions to the development of abstract expressionism and other important artistic movements. Geffen's collection includes paintings that exemplify their distinctive styles and artistic visions - very much akin to his vision as a record executive and film producer.

Ezra and David Nahmad

The Nahmad family's art collection includes works by some of the most influential artists of the 20th century, including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and many others. 

They are particularly known for their extensive collection of works by Picasso, which is one of the largest private collections of his art in the world. The family's collection also encompasses pieces from various art movements such as Cubism, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism.

In addition to their collection, the Nahmad family has played a significant role in the art market as art dealers and gallery owners. They have established galleries in cities like New York, London, and Paris, showcasing and trading artwork from their collection as well as other important works of art.