A portrait by Gustav Klimt, *Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer* (1914–1916), sold for $236 million at Sotheby's in New York, setting a record for the highest price ever achieved at the auction house. The same evening, a solid gold functional toilet titled *America* by Maurizio Cattelan fetched $12.1 million, with proceeds satirizing superwealth. The Klimt painting, one of few to survive World War II intact, came from the collection of late billionaire Leonard A. Lauder.
This auction underscores the enduring strength of the high-end art market, with major works by modern masters commanding record prices. The sale of Cattelan's gold toilet highlights the continued appetite for provocative contemporary art that critiques wealth itself. The event also sets the stage for an upcoming Frida Kahlo self-portrait expected to break records for a female artist, signaling robust demand across historical and contemporary segments.