Exciting Student Research: The "Lost" Klimt and Its Silenced Histories

We are pleased to share the research of one of our students, Sarah Hübler, from the University of Vienna. Sarah, currently working on her MA thesis under the supervision of Noémie Etienne, has been investigating the historical context of a recently rediscovered painting by Gustav Klimt.

Her research sheds light on a Klimt portrait of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona, a member of the Osu (Ga) people of Ghana. The painting is more than just a masterpiece; it is a gateway into the complex and often silenced histories surrounding Vienna's colonial past. Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona was one of the performers in the so-called 'ethnographic shows' at Vienna’s Prater—these spectacles were deeply embedded in a colonial and racialized context.

Sarah’s work examines Austria’s colonial history and its influence on Viennese Modernism. Her findings contribute to ongoing discussions about art, history, and memory, prompting a reevaluation of these narratives today.

We invite readers to engage with Sarah’s research and its implications for historical discourse.

MA Student Sarah Hübler, who is writing her Master’s Thesis under the supervision of Noémie Etienne.