Austria says it cannot afford to buy back Klimt masterpieces ($300 million dollars)

ap on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 2/2/06 | William J. Kole - ap

[dead]

Geez, that's tip money on a nation scale.

Why don't they have a bake sale?

[Shalom Israel]

...similar to Klimt's "The Kiss"...

Everyone's a critic, I know--but I don't like it.

[muawiyah]

Looks like the market value of "priceless national heritage" things is now more than the nation can afford.

I'm sure Los Angeles will be happy to provide a suitible place where Austrians can vist these pictures.

[Cyclopean Squid]

Well, kiss those paintings goodbye. Ha-ha-ha...aw.

[King Moonracer]

So Austria, did not like it when Arnold let convicted multi-murderer Tookie fry, but has fought to keep loot obtained by the Nazis. Nice. Is Howard Dean Austrian too?

[proxy_user]

So what does she propose to do with them? Will US estate tax apply? There are a lot of unanswered questions here.

[dighton]

Also some pix and discussion here.

[sine_nomine]

As someone said about the film "35mm," NO LEICA.

I think the price for paintings has gone crazy. The same amount on books would create a vast library of treasures.

My advice - frame some nice prints in place of the originals. Most won't know the difference.

[NormsRevenge]

http://www.laks.com/deutsch/klimtmuseum.html - Click the image to go there.

Gustav Klimt

1862-1918

Here's a pile of women thru Klimt eyes and hands

http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~dbi9m/klimt/Women.html, there are some landscape and drawings pick links there as well.

[starfish923]

Austria can do without these paintings, national treasure or not. The one on display on the thread is ugly. But then I don't care for modern art.....in fact, imho, it's a contradiction in terms.

Austria has Mozart. He's much better and TRULY a national treasure.
This is Mozart's 250th birthday, plus a few days. I'll be in Austria this summer to hear the concerts which will celebrate this master's works.

[NormsRevenge]

I missed that one. He liked color, that's for sure.

Thanks for the link!

[Slicksadick]

From "Back to School"

Guy At Party Admiring A Painting:"Your wife was just showing me her Klimt". Dangerfield:"Yeah... She's showing it to everyone!".

[dighton]

A few I hadn't seen, thanks.

Professor, if you'd like to ping the list?

[Borges]

Klimt is pre modern. More Fin De Siecle. to use a musical comparison think of Mahler. His virtual exact contemporary.

[Borges]

Rodney to an female English student: "Maybe you can come over sometime and help me straighten out my Longfellow"

[starfish923]

So what does she propose to do with them? Will US estate tax apply? There are a lot of unanswered questions here.

I don't think she cares about the paintings or the money. I think it was making Austria publically acknowledge that they belonged to her family because they were stolen by the nazis. That it happened almost three generations ago wasn't the point....for her it was "yesterday."

As for taxes, I would imagine that she has an ARMY of tax lawyers who will manage to let her pay $0.00 taxes for these "national treasures" worth $300,000,000.00

She's wealthy, 88-years-old and still working a most profitable business. Lol. She probably could do all her own taxes, without looking at a single worksheet. Good for her.

[muawiyah]

People who don't like modern art most likely are into "realism".

Let me provide you with a "clue" ~ BUY A CAMERA!

[starfish923]

Klimt is pre modern. More Fin De Siecle. to use a musical comparison think of Mahler. His virtual exact contemporary.

I know because I CAN read dates.
For ME he is "modern."
I don't even like too many of the impressionists. A little impressionism goes a long way.

[NormsRevenge]

Sounds like a good time. I have never been on the European continent, that would definitely be on the itinerary if I ever make it there. That and Czechoslovakia. I have some bohemian in me on my dad's side. ;-)

Bohunk Power :)