A painting by renowned French Impressionist artist Claude Monet has become the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in France after fetching €50 million at Sotheby’s in Paris.
The painting, titled Iris, was sold on Thursday, October 22, 2026, for approximately $56 million, including buyer’s fees. The record-breaking sale was confirmed by Sotheby’s and reported by Reuters.
Created around 1924–1925 during the final years of Monet’s life, the monumental artwork attracted intense competition among collectors, with six bidders participating in an auction that lasted approximately 45 minutes before the final two continued competing for another 20 minutes.
The painting was eventually acquired by an Asian collector who placed the winning bid by telephone.
The sale surpassed the previous French auction record of €43.2 million, set in 2010 when Amedeo Modigliani’s Head of a Caryatid was sold at Christie’s in Paris.
Monet’s ‘Iris’ Sells for More Than Double Its Low Estimate
Before the auction, Sotheby’s estimated Iris would sell for between €22 million and €30 million.
The final price of €50 million, including buyer’s fees, substantially exceeded that estimate and established a new benchmark for artwork sold at auction in France.
The painting was the centrepiece of a sale featuring works from the Schlumberger Collection, a private collection assembled by Jeanne Schlumberger, who died in 1983.
The result highlighted continued demand among international collectors for significant works by major artists, particularly paintings with distinguished histories and limited public exposure.
Painting Remained Hidden in Private Collection for Decades
One of the most remarkable aspects of Iris is its history away from public view.
The painting had remained in the Schlumberger family’s Paris residence and was known publicly largely through a black-and-white photograph before it was presented for sale.
Measuring approximately 160 centimetres high and 180 centimetres wide, the large canvas depicts irises amid Monet’s distinctive treatment of colour, light and vegetation.
Its appearance at Sotheby’s offered collectors and art enthusiasts an opportunity to see the work publicly before the auction.
The painting was previously owned by Jeanne Schlumberger, who acquired it through the Paris art dealer Katia Granoff, according to Sotheby’s provenance information.
The work’s long period in private hands added to the attention surrounding its return to public view.
Monet Created ‘Iris’ During His Final Years
Monet, one of the central figures of the Impressionist movement, became internationally recognised for paintings that explored changing light, atmosphere and the appearance of landscapes.
His best-known subjects include water lilies, gardens, bridges and scenes around his home in Giverny, France.
Painted in 1924–1925, Iris belongs to the later period of his career, when his work increasingly featured broad brushstrokes and expressive arrangements of colour.
Although Monet is widely associated with Impressionism, aspects of his late paintings have also attracted attention for their relationship to the development of modern art and abstraction.
The artist died on December 5, 1926. The record-breaking auction comes during the centenary year of his death, adding further interest to the sale of a work from the final phase of his artistic life.
Schlumberger Collection Sale Draws Strong Interest
The auction of Iris formed part of Sotheby’s sale of the Schlumberger Collection, which included works by other prominent artists.
The collection attracted considerable attention from collectors and art-market observers because of its combination of important works and the long period during which many remained in private hands.
Three paintings by Paul Cézanne that had been classified as national treasures were withdrawn from the Sotheby’s sale before the auction. The auction house said the decision followed an agreement involving their owners and the city of Aix-en-Provence, which was considering acquiring the works with support from France’s culture ministry.
The withdrawal did not prevent Iris from becoming the standout result of the sale.
What the Record Means for France’s Art Market
The €50 million sale establishes a new record for the most expensive artwork sold at auction in France, surpassing the previous mark set by Modigliani’s Head of a Caryatid.
The result also demonstrates the international reach of the market for major Impressionist paintings, with collectors competing across borders for works with significant artistic and historical value.
However, the record applies specifically to artwork sold at auction in France. It should not be confused with the highest price ever paid for an artwork worldwide or with private sales, which are often not publicly disclosed.
Conclusion
Claude Monet’s Iris has made auction history after selling for €50 million at Sotheby’s in Paris.
The painting, created in 1924–1925 and kept in the Schlumberger family collection for decades, attracted a lengthy bidding contest before being purchased by an Asian collector.
Its final price exceeded the pre-sale estimate and broke France’s previous auction record for artwork.
The sale brings renewed attention to Monet’s late work during the centenary year of his death and highlights the continuing international interest in important pieces of art history.