Claude Monet's 'Iris' Sells for Record €50 Million, Setting New French Auction Benchmark
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The painting, titled Iris, attracted intense competition from collectors, with six bidders participating in a contest that lasted approximately 45 minutes. The final two bidders continued competing for another 20 minutes before the work was sold to an Asian collector bidding by telephone.
Artwork exceeds its estimated value
The painting had been estimated to sell for between €22 million and €30 million. Its final price of €50 million significantly exceeded the upper estimate.
The sale also surpassed France's previous auction record of €43.2 million, established in 2010 when Amedeo Modigliani's Head of a Caryatid was sold.
The result demonstrates continued collector interest in historically significant works by internationally recognised artists.
Monet's artistic legacy
Monet was one of the leading figures of Impressionism, an artistic movement that transformed European painting during the late 19th century.
He became particularly recognised for his exploration of natural light, colour and changing atmospheric conditions. His paintings of gardens, flowers, landscapes and water scenes remain among the most recognisable works in modern art history.
The Iris painting belongs to the later period of his artistic career, when his garden at Giverny became an important source of inspiration.
Strong interest in the international art market
The auction was part of the sale of works from the Schlumberger Collection. Competition for the painting reflected demand for rare artworks with significant historical and cultural importance.
High-value sales continue to attract international collectors, galleries and investors, although the broader contemporary art market has shown more cautious bidding in some recent auctions.
What happens next?
The €50 million result places Monet's Iris among the most significant auction sales in France. It also highlights the continued financial and cultural importance of Impressionist masterpieces in the international art market.
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