Full Breakdown
Monet’s “Iris” Sets French Auction Record at €50 Million
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Record-Breaking Sale
A painting titled “Iris” by Claude Monet sold for €50 million (? $56 million) at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris on Thursday, establishing a new record for the most expensive artwork sold at auction in France. The buyer was a private collector from Asia, and the work emerged after a 45-minute bidding battle among six collectors. The painting had been estimated at €22 million to €30 million.
Background & Context
The work came from the estate of Jeanne Schlumberger (1889–1983). “Iris” was painted in 1924–1925 at Monet’s Giverny home, during the period that produced his water-lily series.
Key Figures & Groups
- Claude Monet – Impressionist painter, creator of “Iris.”
- Jeanne Schlumberger – Former collector whose heirs sold the painting.
- Thomas Bompard – Co-head of Sotheby’s France Modern and Contemporary Art department, who described the canvas as “miraculous.”
- Sotheby’s – Auction house that conducted the sale.
- Private Asian collector – Unnamed buyer of “Iris.”
Timeline
- 1950s – Jeanne Schlumberger begins building her art collection.
- 2015 – A Monet iris sold for £10.8 million at Christie’s London, the previous record for that subject.
- 2019 – Monet’s “Meules” fetched $110.7 million at Sotheby’s New York.
- Thursday – “Iris” sells for €50 million; other Monet works in the lot sell for €9.7 million, €4.3 million, and €2.5 million.
Data & Statistics
- Sale price of “Iris”: €50 million (including buyer’s premium).
- Pre-sale estimate: €22 million–€30 million.
- Dimensions: 1.60 m × 1.80 m.
- Total proceeds for the evening: €74.4 million, the highest ever for a fine-art sale at Sotheby’s Paris.
- Nearly 75 % of the lots sold above their high estimates.
- Other notable results: Pierre Bonnard’s “La Cueillette des Prunes” €2.5 million (record in France); Gustave Moreau’s drawing €1.4 million (record); Camille Claudel’s bronze €832,000 (more than double its low estimate).
Official Statements & Responses
Sotheby’s noted that the painting had been designated a French national treasure but remained on the block after the Schlumberger family’s decision to sell. The buyer’s identity will stay confidential. Bompard explained that the canvas’s pristine condition resulted from Jeanne Schlumberger’s refusal to lend it for exhibitions, keeping it in a private Paris residence. Sotheby’s also reported that three Cézanne works, classified as national treasures, were withdrawn shortly before the auction following an agreement with the city of Aix-en-Provence and the French Ministry of Culture.
Why It Matters
The sale highlights the strong demand for Monet’s late works and reinforces Paris’s role as a venue for ultra-high-value art transactions. It also shows how private-collection holdings can reshape market benchmarks when they enter auction.
What’s Next
Sotheby’s will continue its Paris program on Friday with sales of modern art and Surrealist works, building on Thursday’s record-setting results.