Klimt "Fishblood", 1898

GUSTAV  KLIMT

Fischblut (Fishblood)

India ink and pen on paper

Image: 40.2 x 40.5 cms (Sheet measures 43.5 x 47 cms)

Signed Lower Right: Gustav

                                    KlimtExecuted: 1898


Bibliography:

1. Ver Sacrum I, Issue # 3, March 1898, Vienna, page 6 (as Fischblut )

2.  Christian Nebehay,Ver Sacrum 1898-1903, Edition Tusch, Vienna, 1975

Ver Sacrum 1898-1903, Rizzoli, New York, 1977; page 110

3. Colin B. Bailey, Gustav Klimt: Modernism in the Making, Harry Abrams Inc., New York, 2001 in collaboration with The National Gallery of Canada, page 89

4. Christian Nebehay, Gustav Klimt, 1960; Beilage Zur Liste: Ver Sacrum, Jahrang I (1898); Issue 3 March 1898, Seite 6 , Cited as "Buchillustration: Fur V.S. (Ver Sacrum ) gez. Gust. Klimt, : Meerjung-frauen auf dem Rucken schwimmend, von grossem Fisch verfolgt"

5.  Fritz Novotny and Johannes Dobai, Gustave Klimt, Frederick A. Praeger Publishers, New York and Washington, Cited on page 308 as a sketch and motif for Moving Water 1898 (Bewegtes Wasser, 1898). It is further cited that Fishblood was originally published in the original 1898 volume of Ver Sacrum I, no. 3, March 1898, page 6. Moving Water, 1898 is cited as plate 94, page 308 in the Novotny/Dobai text.

6. Catherine Dean, Klimt, Phaidon Press, Ltd. London , 1996 (reprinted ’98, ’99, ’01)

Plate #9, Cited as Fish Blood, and mistakenly noted as having the precise dimensions of the Ver Sacrum I , Issue #3 lithograph as 29.8 x 28.8 cms. Dean also mistakenly identifies the provenance as the Historisches Museum der Stadt Wien in Vienna, whereas the work has always been in private collections since the Secession Exhibition of 1903.

7. Alice Strobl, Gustav Klimt, Die Zeichnungen, vol. I , 1878-1903; Welz Verlag, Salzburg, 1980. Illustration from Ver Sacrum March, 1898, Illustration # S 675

8. Gilles Neret,Gustav Klimt 1862-1918, Taschen, Germany 2006; Illustrated page 20 as Fish Blood 1898, and noted on page 94 as Plate 20 below right; also noted as "dimensions and location unknown".

9. Christian M Nebehay, Ver sacrum 1898-1903, Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH, Munich 1975, page 111 (illustrated)

10. Dr. Ilona Sarmany- Parsons, Klimt, Crown Publishers, New York/Bonfini Press, Naefels Switzerland; 1987; Page 11 (full page plate). Cited as Original Destroyed

11. Dr. Marian Bisanz-Prakken, Nuda Veritas and the Origins of the Vienna Secession, 1895-1905; Szepmuveszzeti Muzeum, Budapest Museum of Fine Arts Exhibition; 23 Sept 2010 -9 January 2011, Full page color illustration p. 69. The catalogue cites (p. 234): "Until recently this most famous drawing was only known as a full page illustration in Ver Sacrum, the indications 18 ½ inches refer only to the framing lines in the reproduction (published illustration), which measures 185 x 185 cms. Since it’s rediscovery, the original work has been shown and published here for the first time".

12. Dr Marian Bisanz-Prakken, Gustav Klimt: The Drawings, Exhibited at the Albertina Museum, Vienna 14 March 2012- 10 June 2012 under the curation of Dr Bisanz-Prakken and published as Fishblood.

13. Dr Marian Bisanz-Prakken, Gustav Klimt: The Magic of Line , (3 July- 23 Sept. 2012), also organized in collaboration with the Getty Center's senior curator Lee Hendrix and Dr Marian Bisanz-Prakken of the Albertina. Dr Bisanz-Prakken has also published a new book, while she continues to work on the Supplement to Strobl’s Catalogue Raisonne of 1980, in which Fischblut will be included (in addition to Strobl’s 1980 inclusion as Illustration # S 675). The new text will be organized around the Albertina and Getty exhibitions and entitled Gustav Klimt: The Magic of Line, (ISBN 10: 1606061119/ISBN 13: 9781606061114) to celebrate the sesquicentennial of Klimt’s birth. Fischblut is illustrated and discussed in this new text.

PROVENANCE:

Exhibited in the Secession Exhibition, Vienna : Nov.-December 1903 (no. 72)

The Nebehay Gallery, Vienna (?)

Imra Rozsa (sold to Rosza in Geneva, )

Leopoldina Rozsa (by inheritance and legally exported (export license issued by the Austrian government’s Bundesdenkmalamt on 6 July 1959[no. 2225/59]. )

Private Collection New York

　

　

Note: Sarah Jackson (Historic Claims Director) of The Art Loss Register (of New York and London) has generated a 19 page report certifying the work is clear of all claims and enjoys good and uncompromised title in her report of 27 November 2006.

Also Dr. Marian Bisanz-Prakken, curator of the Albertina in Vienna, and past research assistant/archivist of Dr. Strobl, and current author of Dr. Strobl’s Supplement to her Catalogue Raisonne of 1980 (cited above), has confirmed (after conferring both with Dr. Strobl herself, as well as Dr Krug (director of the Nebehay Gallery) in Vienna, that the work will positively be included with correct dimensions and a NY domicile, in the forthcoming Supplement to the Strobl Catalogue Raisonne. Also Sophie Lillie of Vienna has conducted extensive research at the BDA in Vienna, as well as conducted a full and complete vetting of the work with all required clearances; giving the work bona fides of title and authenticity. The actual export license from the Bundesdenkmalamt dated 6 July 1959 (no. 2225/59) was secured citing clear passage from Vienna to New York on that date with knowledge and clearance of the work by the Austrian government for export.

ADDENDUM:

Fischblut (Fish Blood) after the Szepmuveszeti Muzeum ( Budapest Museum of Fine Arts, 23 Sept. 2010- 9 January 2011) Nuda Veritas: Gustav Klimt and the Origins of the Vienna Secession, 1895-1905 exhibition, the masterwork traveled to and was exhibited at the Albertina Museum in Vienna (12 March- 10 June 2012) in the exhibition Gustav Klimt: The Drawings, curated by Klimt expert and scholar Dr Marian Bisanz-Prakken (Senior Curator of the Albertina). Fischblut (FishBlood) then travelled to the J. Paul Getty Museum (Getty Center) in Malibu, California for the celebrated exhibition entitled Gustav Klimt: The Magic of Line , (3 July- 23 Sept. 2012), also organized in collaboration with the Getty Center's senior curators by Dr Marian Bisanz-Prakken of the Albertina. Dr Bisanz-Prakken has also published a new book, while she continues to work on the Supplement to Strobl’s Catalogue Raisonne of 1980, in which Fischblut will be included (in addition to Strobl’s 1980 inclusion as Illustration # S 675). The new text will be organized around the Albertina and Getty exhibitions and entitled Gustav Klimt: The Magic of Line, (ISBN 10: 1606061119/ISBN 13: 9781606061114) to celebrate the sesquicentennial of Klimt’s birth. Fischblut is illustrated and discussed in this new text and will remain on exhibit at the Getty Center until 23 Sept. 2012. Also see the links to the Getty exhibition, in which Fischblut is prominently featured:

http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/klimt/video.html







　

Klimt- The Final Epilogue

Quatrochi Fine Art Agents, Ltd. is excited to announce that Klimt Fischblut will finally make it's public appearance since its first public exhibition in Vienna in 1903 (the Vienna Secession exhibition) this 22 September 2010 at the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts and be exhibited through the fall months in the much awaited and critically acclaimed exhibition entitled Nuda Veritas. Gustav Klimt and the Early Years of the Vienna Secession 1895-1905. The exhibition was in last part organized by the Albertina Museum in Vienna under the auspices of Dr Marion Bisanz (who is currently completing the Supplement to the Strobl Catalogue Raisonne). All documentation regarding the Albertina Museum and Getty Center exhibitions celebrating the sesquicentennial of the artist's birth can be found in all postings subsequent to this update.

Final Epilogue- Klimt affair

There has been a complete and utter Dismissal with Prejudice against Quatrochi Art Agents, Ltd., with a settlement paid by opposition counsel and Wachter. The work is free to be sold without any legal hindrance whatsoever.

Quatrochi Fine Art Agents, Ltd.
quatrochi@aol.com

Art Law Blog - "Klimt case"

Posted as a post-script to Quatrochi's 24 July 2009 blog submission:
PS: I think in the interest of truth-telling, I am surprised by the short-sightedness of Wachter's counsel, who expect the exercise of a mere option and agreement to buy a drawing (in a domestic civil court), to trump, eclipse, or enjoy a higher priority than my higher duty to the international art markets (and international criminal courts), to prevent any potentially ill-gotten gains and spoils of war from being 'sold' to good-faith BFPs (and such acts of spoliation)- only furthering and contributing to the litigious character of the art world. As I have previously said, all good-faith sellers of good character have never forbiddden me in past time from doing my requisite due diligence and research- all conducted at the instruction of the buyer, for whom I dutifully serve as 'agent'. Also as previously stated we have offered on endless occasions to return the work from safe-keeping (D&M) to Wachter's counsel with our offer consistently being declined, or our unwaivering offer to buy out Wachter's interest with no reply. This is baffling and untoward conduct from opposition counsel that I have never seen before, and certainly confusing enough to altogether befuddle my attorneys and colleagues in the art community. I also add that since the inception of Wachter's action (June 2008), countered with our consistent initiatives to have Wachter's lawyers discontinue the action (with or without prejudice) so as to sell the work, were met by Wachter's counsel with no reply whatsoever, despite our clear indication that the art markets, as well as the financial and credit markets were collapsing meteorically. In the meantime the Mei Moses art index indicates that the value of the international art markets has declined some 45% to date from our first entreaty to her lawyers (just 32% since March 2009). This inaction of her lawyers alone is grounds for censure, as they have only compounded the misery-index of our collective predicament and are accomplices in the furtherance and compounding of their own client's alleged damages. The invocation of the doctrine of laches is appropriate : Vigilantibus non dormientibus oequitas subvenit! An affirmative defense, this prejudicial delay to any proposed resolution clearly underscores the malicious character of the action, and lends itself to legitimate criticism as a frivolous suit which ought be summarily dismissed. See Solow v Nine West Group, 2001 WL 736794, *3 (SDNY June 29 2001); Simons v USA 452 F 2d 1110, 1116 (2nd Cir. 1971) (affirming Rule 12 (b) (6) dismissed based on laches where papers "reveal no reason for the inordinate and prejudicial delay".
It should be noted that a complaint will soon be lodged against opposition counsel Bernstein, McInnis and Bileris for egregious conduct by these offices with the Departmental Disciplinary Committee of the NYS Bar Association.