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"Iris" by Monet, estimated at €30M, up for auction in Paris
Claude Monet's "Iris", back from Hong Kong, will go under the hammer in Paris in a few days, with an estimate of 30 million euros. This sale, tied to the centenary of the painter's death, comes with another success: Monet merchandise from the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie.
Par la rédaction Walensky · 3 min de lecture
- €30M estimate for Claude Monet's "Iris"
- 150,000 Monet postcards sold every year
- €66M for a water lily pond sold at auction
The painting Iris by Claude Monet is set to go under the hammer in Paris in a few days, during the Schlumberger - Sotheby's sale. The exact date has not been specified. The work, regarded as a symbol of Impressionism, is estimated at 30 million euros.
Chez WalenskyImpression, soleil levantInspiré par Claude Monetà partir de 273,90 €
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This sale is tied to the centenary of the painter's death. According to franceinfo, Iris could become the most expensive canvas ever sold in the country, breaking records.
A return from Hong Kong under close protection
Iris is coming back from an exhibition in Hong Kong. Upon its return, the painting must undergo a mandatory inspection. It travels in a secure, custom-made crate.
Chez WalenskyLa Cathédrale de RouenInspiré par Claude Monetà partir de 273,90 €
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Thomas Bompard, director of the Schlumberger - Sotheby's sale, describes a monumental painting in perfect condition and a subject important to the artist. In his view, no other French painter has ever been as sought after as Monet.
"Monet is the darling child."
Thomas Bompard, director of the Schlumberger - Sotheby's sale
Chez WalenskyLes NymphéasInspiré par Claude Monetà partir de 273,90 €
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Monet's previous auction results give a sense of the scale. Haystacks have sold for over 31 million euros, and a water lily pond for 66 million euros. His all-time record is close to 100 million euros, for a single canvas.
Merchandise still leading the sales charts
Monet's success does not stop at the auction rooms. At the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie, a quarter of visitors end their visit at the gift shop with merchandise, bought by the thousands.
Postcards are the best sellers, with 150,000 copies each year. The shop also offers snow globes and socks, which can sell up to 5,000 units a year. The range runs from one euro to 500 euros per item.
Guillaume Roux, development director of the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie, explains that any Monet-themed product always tops the sales, whatever its form. One visitor says she adores the painter and will buy anything as long as there is a Monet on it. According to franceinfo, a century after his death, Monet has become a marketing king and a social media star, something he probably never imagined.
Our view
From the painting valued at several million euros to the simple postcard, the same image of Monet reaches very different audiences. It reminds us that one can love an artwork without owning it, and give it a place in one's home at one's own scale.
Source: Franceinfo.
