Claude Monet Iris Auction: Rare Painting Heads to Sotheby’s Paris

A rare Claude Monet Iris auction is set to become one of the most closely watched art sales in Paris this October. Monet’s monumental Iris, painted in 1924-25, will headline a major Sotheby’s Paris auction with an estimate of €22 million to €30 million.

The painting comes from the historic Schlumberger collection and is one of four Monet works included in the sale. Its appearance at auction is particularly significant because the work has remained out of public view for decades and has reportedly never been publicly exhibited.

 

Claude Monet Iris Auction Could Reach €30 Million

The centrepiece of the sale is Claude Monet’s Iris, an expansive late-period painting inspired by the artist’s famous garden at Giverny.

Measuring almost six feet across, the work reflects Monet’s growing interest in colour, atmosphere, reflection and scale during the final years of his career.

Sotheby’s has given the painting an estimate of €22 million to €30 million, placing it among the most valuable works offered in the Paris auction.

The Claude Monet Iris auction will take place on 22 October 2026 as part of a wider 28-lot sale from the Schlumberger collection.

Why Claude Monet’s Iris Painting Is So Important

Claude Monet is best known for his water lilies, but irises were also an important subject in his later work.

At Giverny, Monet repeatedly painted flowers, water, trees and reflections while exploring how light and colour changed across different conditions.

In Iris, the boundaries between the flowers, water and reflected surroundings become less distinct. Rather than presenting a conventional garden scene, Monet creates an immersive composition dominated by colour and movement.

This approach helped give his later paintings a more experimental character and contributed to the growing appreciation of Monet’s final period.

Monet’s Late Giverny Works Took on a New Direction

By the 1910s and 1920s, Monet’s paintings had become increasingly free and expressive.

Instead of focusing on clearly defined objects, he used broader brushwork, layered colour and large-scale compositions to create a more atmospheric experience.

The Claude Monet Iris painting is a strong example of this transition.

Its large format and fluid handling of colour give the work a sense of abstraction, while still remaining rooted in the natural world of Monet’s garden.

 

Four Claude Monet Paintings Feature in the Sotheby’s Sale

The Sotheby’s Paris auction will include four major Monet works from different periods of the artist’s career.

Iris, 1924-25

The headline work, Iris, carries an estimate of €22 million to €30 million.

It is the most valuable Monet in the sale and one of the most important paintings from the Schlumberger collection.

Saule Pleureur, 1918–19

Saule Pleureur depicts a weeping willow from Monet’s garden at Giverny.

The painting is characterised by energetic brushwork and intense colour, creating a more expressive interpretation of the landscape.

It has an estimated value of €9 million to €12 million.

La Maison à Travers les Roses, 1925–26

This late Monet work was painted during the final stage of his career and carries an upper estimate of approximately €3 million.

La Seine à Vernon, Arbres, 1894

Dating from 1894, La Seine à Vernon, Arbres represents an earlier phase in Monet’s career.

The painting has an upper estimate of around €1.8 million.

Together, the four works offer a broad view of Monet’s artistic development, from his earlier landscape painting to the increasingly experimental works of his final years.

The Story Behind the Schlumberger Collection

The paintings come from the collection of Jeanne Schlumberger, who built an important group of French artworks over several decades.

Parisian gallerist Katia Granoff played a major role in helping Schlumberger develop the collection.

In the 1950s, Granoff acquired paintings that had remained in Monet’s studio after his death. At the time, many of Monet’s late works were not valued as highly as the Impressionist landscapes that had already made him famous.

Over time, however, collectors and art historians began to reassess these later paintings.

Their bold use of colour, scale and atmosphere is now considered an important part of Monet’s legacy.

Sotheby’s Paris Auction Expected to Exceed €40 Million

The wider Schlumberger collection includes 28 lots and is expected to achieve more than €40 million.

Although Monet is the main attraction, the sale also features works by other important French artists.

Among them is Camille Claudel’s La Valse from 1895, which carries an estimate of around €400,000 to €600,000.

The sculpture is one of Claudel’s best-known compositions and depicts two figures moving together in an expressive dance.

Paul Cézanne Works Also Included

Several early works by Paul Cézanne will also be offered in the sale.

Three decorative panels originally formed part of a larger landscape composition created for Cézanne’s family home in Aix-en-Provence.

One of the most significant is La Ferme, which carries an estimate of approximately €600,000 to €800,000.

The presence of works by Monet, Cézanne and Claudel gives the auction broader significance beyond the headline Claude Monet Iris auction.

Why Monet’s Late Paintings Continue to Attract Collectors

Claude Monet remains one of the most recognisable and commercially significant artists in the international art market.

Collectors continue to show strong interest in works associated with his garden at Giverny, particularly paintings featuring water lilies, irises, trees and reflections.

His late paintings are especially important because they show how Monet continued to experiment with colour and composition even during the final years of his life.

The upcoming sale of Iris offers collectors a rare opportunity to acquire a large-scale work from this period.

A Rare Opportunity for the Art Market

The appearance of Iris at Sotheby’s is notable not only because of its estimated value but also because of its rarity.

Works of this scale and quality do not appear frequently at auction, particularly when they have remained in the same collection for decades.

With an estimate reaching €30 million, the painting is expected to draw significant attention from international collectors when the Sotheby’s Paris auction takes place in October.

Final Thoughts

The Claude Monet Iris auction will be one of the standout art-market events of October 2026.

Monet’s Iris combines the themes that defined his later career: flowers, water, reflection, movement and colour. Its monumental scale and long private history make its appearance at auction especially significant.

Alongside three other Monet paintings and important works by Cézanne and Claudel, the Schlumberger collection offers a rare look at some of the most influential names in French art.

The result of the sale on 22 October will show how the market responds to one of Monet’s most striking late-period works.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the focus of the Claude Monet Iris auction?

The auction centres on Monet’s Iris from 1924–25, which is being offered by Sotheby’s Paris with an estimate of €22 million to €30 million.

When is the Claude Monet Iris auction?

The Sotheby’s Paris sale is scheduled for 22 October 2026.

How much could Monet’s Iris sell for?

The painting is estimated at €22 million to €30 million.

Where did Claude Monet paint his famous garden works?

Many of Monet’s late floral and water paintings were inspired by his garden at Giverny in France.

What other Monet paintings are in the sale?

The auction also includes Saule Pleureur, La Maison à Travers les Roses and La Seine à Vernon, Arbres.

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