Monet’s ‘Iris’ Sells for Record €50 Million at French Auction

Monet Painting Sells for 50 Million Euros in Paris

Claude Monet’s monumental painting “Iris” sold for 50 million euros, including buyer fees, at a Paris auction on Thursday, establishing a new record as the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in France, according to Agence France-Presse. The 1.60-meter-high and 1.80-meter-wide canvas had remained inside the billionaire Schlumberger family’s Paris mansion since its acquisition by Jeanne Schlumberger (1889–1983), remaining known to the public only through a black-and-white photograph, Thomas Bompard, co-head of the Modern and Contemporary Art Department at Sotheby’s France, told Agence France-Presse.

Sotheby's Gives Iris Highest Valuation Ever in France

Before the auction, Sotheby’s estimated “Iris” to fetch between 22 and 30 million euros, which the auction house described at the presentation as the highest valuation ever given to a painting offered at auction in France. Painted during Monet’s twilight years, the work headlined a collection titled “Le Temps Retrouvé, The Collection Schlumberger.” Alongside “Iris,” the sale featured three other canvases by the Impressionist master, including “Saule Pleureur” (Weeping Willow), which carried a valuation of nine to 12 million euros.

Paris Commemorates Monet Centenary as Cezanne Works Are Withdrawn

The record-breaking sale coincides with the centenary of Monet’s death on December 5, 1926, an anniversary currently commemorated in Paris by two exhibitions: “Monet, Painting Time” and “Stories of Landscapes, from Monet to Hockney.” Meanwhile, three paintings by Paul Cezanne classified as national treasures were withdrawn from the Sotheby’s auction just hours before bidding began. Sotheby’s stated that the withdrawal occurred with a view to returning the works to the artist’s hometown of Aix-en-Provence, following an agreement between the current owners and the city, which is considering acquiring the pieces with the support of the French culture ministry.

Christie’s Parallel Paris Art Sale

In a separate Paris auction on Thursday, Christie’s sold 26 works totaling 41.6 million euros, buyer’s fees included. That sale featured two additional Monet paintings: “Bord des falaises a Pourville,” which achieved 12.7 million euros, and “Trois pots de tulipes,” which brought in 3.1 million euros. Additional notable sales at Christie’s included Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “Jeunes filles au bord de la mer” for 5.8 million euros and Pablo Picasso’s “Nature morte au gruyere” for three million euros, as reported by Agence France-Presse.

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