PARIS (Reuters) – A painting by the renowned French impressionist master Claude Monet, which has been held in private ownership since 1948, is anticipated to achieve a price of up to 3 million euros ($3.22 million) when it is presented at auction later this month in Paris, as revealed by auction house Ader.
The landscape painting, titled “Les Saules, Giverny” (“The Willows, Giverny”), dates back to 1886 and marks a rare appearance on the French art market, where Monet’s works have become increasingly scarce. This masterpiece is one of approximately three dozen lots featured in the forthcoming Ader auction house’s sale of impressionist and modern art, scheduled to take place at Hotel Drouot on November 24.
Ader auctioneer David Nordmann expressed, “Paintings of Claude Monet of this scale, of this dimension no longer really exist among French families. They’re found mostly in big museums or in foreign collections, but it’s very rare to find them in France. It’s a significant occasion for the French market.”
Monet’s oil painting, measuring 73cm by 92cm (28.7 inches by 36.2 inches), has been owned by a family of Jewish heritage and was prominently displayed in their opulent residence in central Paris. The painting was originally acquired by the family’s grandfather from a gallery in Nice in 1948 and has remained within the family’s possession ever since.
While “Les Saules, Giverny” may not carry the same level of fame as Monet’s iconic water lilies or the Gare Saint Lazare paintings, which can command prices reaching 100 million euros, it unmistakably embodies the artist’s distinct style. Nordmann commented, “It’s an oeuvre typical of Claude Monet, notably by the brush strokes and how he makes the light come out.”
Claude Monet sought solace in Giverny, located west of Paris, from 1883 until his passing in 1926. During this time, he transformed a pink stucco house into his permanent residence and studio while cultivating a Japanese-style garden filled with flowers and trees, all surrounding a pond adorned with water lilies. This tranquil setting served as the inspiration for many of his celebrated paintings.
The upcoming auction also features a work by American painter Mary Cassatt, titled “Portrait de Jeune Fille au Chapeau Blanc” (“Portrait of a Young Woman in a White Hat”), with an estimated value ranging from 800,000 to 1.2 million euros.
