An exceptional monumental canvas by Claude Monet titled “Iris” fetched 50 million euros, including commissions, at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris, setting a new benchmark as the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction in France, according to Sotheby’s.
A Record-Breaking Masterpiece Emerges from Private Hands
The late-career impressionist masterpiece measuring 1.60 meters high by 1.80 meters wide made its public exhibition debut at the auction house. Before the sale, specialists estimated its value between 22 and 30 million euros, marking the highest pre-sale estimate ever assigned to a painting offered at a public auction in France.
The canvas had remained in the Parisian residence of the Schlumberger family since its original acquisition from relatives of the artist by Jeanne Schlumberger, a brilliant art collector. Thomas Bompard, co-director of the modern and contemporary art department at Sotheby’s France, noted the nature of the painting’s provenance and market entry.
Three paintings by Paul Cézanne, officially classified as national treasures, were pulled from the auction blocks hours before the bidding commenced. Sotheby’s confirmed that the withdrawals followed an agreement between current owners and the city of Aix-en-Provence. With backing from the French Ministry of Culture, the city is evaluating the acquisition of these works to house them within the Musée Granet.
Simultaneous Paris Sales Bring Strong Results for Impressionist Masters
A concurrent auction hosted by Christie's in Paris delivered high figures across twenty-six lots, yielding a cumulative total of 41.6 million euros with buyer's premiums included. The event featured multiple works by foundational modern artists.
Claude Monet’s coastal landscape “Bord des falaises à Pourville” realized 12.7 million euros, while his still-life “Trois pots de tulipes” brought in 3.1 million euros. Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “Jeunes filles au bord de la mer” achieved 5.8 million euros. Pablo Picasso’s “Nature morte au gruyère” completed the notable sales by reaching 3 million euros.
