A major late work by Claude Monet is set to take centre stage at Sotheby's Paris this October. Titled Iris, the painting has remained in the Jeanne Schlumberger collection for decades and is now appearing publicly for the first time.
Created in 1925, one year before Monet's death, the work captures purple and yellow irises reflected across water in the artist's increasingly expressive late style. Measuring approximately 160 by 180 centimetres, it is the largest example from Monet's Iris series ever offered at auction and among the most significant works from his final period still held privately.
A landmark Impressionist sale
Sotheby's has placed an estimate of €22 million to €30 million on Iris. If the work reaches the upper end of that range, it could establish a new French auction benchmark for a painting.
The artwork will be included in the October 22 sale, "Le Temps Retrouvé: The Schlumberger Collection", a 28-lot presentation of Impressionist and Modern art. The collection also includes Monet's Saule pleurer, a 1918-19 work estimated at €9 million to €12 million, alongside works by Paul Cézanne, Pierre Bonnard, Gustave Moreau, Chaïm Soutine and Georges Rouault.
A collection shaped by conviction
Jeanne Schlumberger assembled much of the collection with art dealer Katia Granoff. At a time when Monet's late paintings were less widely celebrated, Granoff acquired works from the Giverny studio holdings of the artist's son, Michel Monet, with Schlumberger's support.
Their shared appreciation for Monet's experimental final years helped preserve a group of paintings that remained largely outside public view. Schlumberger also supported museums while choosing to keep her own collection private.
The sale highlights how long-term collecting can redefine cultural value, bringing overlooked artistic chapters into wider international conversation and inspiring a new generation of collectors.
