World · Malaysia Bureau
Monet's 'Iris' Sets French Auction Record After Intense Bidding War
A late-period Claude Monet painting has become the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in France, following a protracted bidding battle that captivated collectors at the sale.
LSN Malaysia ·
The impressionist masterpiece commanded fierce competition among six initial bidders, who contested ownership for 45 minutes before the final two participants engaged in an extended battle lasting a further 20 minutes.
Completed during the final years of Monet's artistic career, the work titled 'Iris' represents a significant acquisition for the international art market. The painting's journey to the auction block underscores the enduring appeal of impressionist works and the competitive appetite among collectors for pieces from the movement's most celebrated practitioners.
The extended bidding sequence—spanning more than an hour in total—reflected the painting's historical importance and the confidence collectors place in Monet's legacy. The work joins a distinguished lineage of French artworks that have achieved record-setting prices at domestic auctions.
The sale demonstrates the continued vitality of France's art market and its capacity to attract significant acquisitions that command international attention. Monet's late-period works, in particular, have garnered increased scholarly and commercial interest in recent years, with collectors recognising the sophisticated chromatic and compositional innovations characteristic of his final decades.