A century-old masterpiece reveals the enduring appeal of Impressionism.
PARIS
A monumental painting by Claude Monet has become the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in France, achieving €50 million, approximately $56.2 million, during a Sotheby’s sale in Paris. The record-breaking transaction underscores international demand for exceptional works with distinguished provenance, particularly as the art world commemorates the centenary of the French Impressionist’s death.
The painting, titled Iris and created between 1924 and 1925, depicts flowers and foliage from Monet’s celebrated garden in Giverny. Its large-scale composition reflects the artist’s late experimentation with color, perspective and increasingly abstract forms.
The sale took place on October 22 as part of the auction of the Schlumberger Collection. Six international bidders competed for the painting during an intense contest lasting approximately 45 minutes.
A private collector based in Asia ultimately secured the work through telephone bidding. The buyer’s identity has not been publicly disclosed.
Before the auction, Sotheby’s estimated the painting would sell for between €22 million and €30 million. Its final price substantially exceeded the upper estimate, demonstrating the competitive demand for works rarely available on the market.
The result surpassed France’s previous auction record of €43.2 million, established in 2010 by Amedeo Modigliani’s sculpture Tête de Caryatide.
Importantly, the achievement represents a record for an artwork sold at auction in France, not the highest price ever paid for a Monet painting worldwide.
The Schlumberger Collection provided an unusual opportunity for collectors. Its artworks had remained in private ownership for decades, with several works rarely or never publicly exhibited.
The collection was assembled by Jeanne Schlumberger with guidance from art dealer Katia Granoff, who helped secure important paintings originating from the holdings of Monet’s son, Michel.
The entire Sotheby’s sale generated €74.4 million, approximately $83.7 million, with every lot finding a buyer. Nearly three-quarters of the works exceeded their highest presale estimates.
Other paintings by Monet also attracted substantial interest. Saule pleureur, depicting a willow tree, reached €9.7 million, while La Seine à Vernon, Arbres sold for approximately €4.3 million.
The auction additionally established notable French-market results for Pierre Bonnard and Gustave Moreau.
Beyond the financial figures, the sale highlights changing perceptions of Monet’s late paintings. Works once considered unconventional for their loose composition and experimental treatment of color have become central to understanding the development of modern art.
Iris belongs to a period when Monet increasingly dissolved distinctions between recognizable natural forms and atmospheric impressions.
Its extraordinary price reflects not only the artist’s international reputation but also the scarcity, history and distinctive visual character of the work.
For the global art market, the transaction confirms continued competition for museum-quality Impressionist paintings, even as economic uncertainty influences other collecting categories.
The record also renews an enduring question about cultural heritage: how should the historical and artistic significance of exceptional works be understood when their financial value reaches extraordinary levels?
Beyond the Canvas, Cultural Memory Endures.