Painting confiscated by Nazis auctioned

LONDON, June 21 (UPI) -- A masterpiece painted by Egon Schiele in 1914 that was lost when its owner fled the Nazis, has been sold at Christie's in London for almost $22 million.

Schiele's painting "Herbstsonne" was inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers." It was last seen publicly in 1937 in Paris when it was purchased from Schiele for 3,000 francs, the Independent reported.

Karl Grunwald commissioned Schiele as an artist, saving him from serving on the front lines of the military during World War I. But Grunwald had to flee Austria in 1938 when Hitler invaded.

"Herbstsonne" sold for twice as much as it had been expected to command at auction.