Monet painting to debut in Paris
A previously unseen painting by Claude Monet, titled Irises, will be displayed for the first time at the Sotheby's gallery in Paris from October 16 to October 22, 2026, before being put up for auction.History of the painting's ownership
The painting, created around 1924-1925 in Giverny, was acquired in 1958 by art dealer Katia Granoff with the financial support of Jeanne Schlumberger, wife of industrialist Marcel Schlumberger. The latter eventually purchased the painting and kept it private in her Parisian mansion, where it remained unseen by the public for decades.Details of the painting and its value
The painting measures approximately 160 × 190 cm and is estimated to sell for between 22 and 30 million euros. It will be displayed alongside other notable works by artists such as Cezanne, Redon, and Bonnard.Expert analysis of the painting
Marianne Mathieu, former scientific director of the Marmottan-Monet museum, described the painting as "far more than a floral subject" and noted that it "marks a pictorial rupture" through its elimination of horizon lines and perspective, creating a "disturbance between the water of the pond and the reflections of the sky." She added that the painting's vivid touches of pink and yellow represent time and space, and that it "suggests nature through fragments, making the painting an autonomous world that anticipates abstraction."Future of the painting
The painting is not classified as a national treasure by the French state, unlike a Cezanne painting from the same auction. It may end up in international private collections unless a wealthy museum acquires it. The auction's final price will be determined on the last evening of the exhibition.
