Unpublished Claude Monet Painting Expected to Fetch Over $65 Million at Auction
An unpublished painting by renowned artist Claude Monet is set to go on sale next month in New York, with an estimated price tag of more than $65 million, reported auction house Christie’s. Titled “Le bassin aux nymphéas” or “The pond of water lilies,” the two-meter-wide painting is part of Monet’s famous “Water Lilies” series, known for its beautiful reflections of water lilies and willows dancing in the light.
This particular painting was created between 1917 and 1919, during the final period of Monet’s life. The artist produced a series of works featuring water lilies that are now displayed in museums worldwide. Christie’s statement described the painting as capturing the “dynamism and beauty of nature’s transience,” exploring elements such as seasonal blooms, watery depths, and resplendent reflections of light.
The artwork, which has been impeccably preserved and hidden within the same family collection for over five decades, will make its first appearance at auction. Max Carter, Christie’s Vice President of 20th and 21st Century Art, stated, “With Monet, apparently everything has already been seen or said. ‘Water Lily Pond,’ which has never been exhibited or offered at auction, is, however, that rarest of things: a rediscovered masterpiece.”
Monet’s influence as a leader of the Impressionist movement cannot be overstated. His works not only influenced contemporaries like Vincent van Gogh but also later abstract expressionist painters such as Jackson Pollock. Today, Monet’s paintings have become emblematic of Impressionism, overcoming initial critical ambivalence to become some of the most recognized works of art globally.
Notably, several important pieces by Monet have achieved staggering prices at auction. A painting from the “Water Lilies” series fetched $84.7 million at Christie’s in May 2018, while another piece from the “Birds” series sold for $110.7 million at Sotheby’s a year later.
The Monet painting will be part of Christie’s evening sale of 20th-century works scheduled for November 9, attracting significant attention from art enthusiasts and collectors alike. With its rediscovery and significance within Monet’s oeuvre, art experts expect the painting to evoke fierce bidding and potentially break auction records.