Monet’s ‘Iris’ Sets Record as France’s Most Expensive Auction Artwork

Claude Monet’s painting Iris sold for €50 million ($56.05 million) at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris on Thursday, setting a new record for the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in France. The painting, completed toward the end of the French Impressionist master’s life, attracted intense competition among collectors during the auction.

Bidding for the artwork lasted around 65 minutes, with six bidders initially competing before the contest narrowed to two. The painting was ultimately purchased by an Asian collector who placed the winning bid over the telephone. The artwork was part of the Schlumberger Collection, which featured several Impressionist and modern masterpieces offered for sale by Sotheby’s.

Before this sale, the French auction record belonged to Amedeo Modigliani’s Head of a Caryatid, which sold for €43.2 million in 2010. Monet’s Iris had been estimated to fetch between €22 million and €30 million, but the final price significantly exceeded expectations, highlighting strong demand for rare works by renowned artists.

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