Monet's 'Iris' Sells for $56.2 Million, Setting French Auction Record at Sotheby's Paris

Claude Monet's Iris sold for €50 million ($56.2 million) at Sotheby's in Paris on October 22, 2026, setting the record for the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in France. The price, which includes buyer's premium, landed far above the painting's pre-sale estimate of €22 million to €30 million.

Monet's 'Iris' Shatters French Auction Record at Sotheby's Paris

The sale, reported by ARTnews senior writer Daniel Cassady, confirmed what pre-auction coverage had anticipated: that the monumental canvas could mark a watershed moment for the French auction market. The final figure of €50 million ($56.2 million) made the painting the most expensive artwork ever hammered down in France, surpassing the previous national benchmark. The buyer's identity was not disclosed in the post-sale reports, and any further detail remains limited to what the auction house releases.

The result carries weight beyond a single lot. A work of this scale and quality appearing fresh to the market — after a century out of public view — drew demand that pushed the price roughly 67 percent above the high estimate. That premium is the clearest quantitative signal of the evening: collectors rewarded rarity and provenance, not merely the Monet name.

A Century Unseen: The Painting's Unique Provenance

Iris was executed in 1924–25, during the final years of Monet's life, and is the largest canvas from his celebrated Iris series ever to come to market, measuring an unusual 160cm by 180cm, according to Anny Shaw's pre-sale reporting in The Art Newspaper. Crucially, the painting had not been shown in public since it was created — a century of complete privacy that made its auction appearance a genuine first look for the market.

The work came from the collection of Jeanne Schlumberger, one of the heirs to the Schlumberger oil company, who quietly assembled one of France's most important collections of Impressionist and Modern art. Beginning in the 1950s, Schlumberger worked closely with the Parisian dealer Katia Granoff to build a collection that included avant-garde works by artists such as Paul Cézanne, Pierre Bonnard, Gustave Moreau, Chaïm Soutine, and Georges Rouault. The two women were notable for their early appreciation of Monet's late paintings, at a time when these works were not yet widely fashionable. Jeanne Schlumberger died in 1983, and the collection was consigned by her family.

Item	Pre-Sale Estimate	Final Sale Price	Significance
Claude Monet's Iris (1924–25)	€22 million – €30 million	€50 million ($56.2 million)	New record for the most expensive artwork sold at auction in France; roughly 67% above the high estimate
The Schlumberger Collection (total)	Expected to exceed €40 million	€74.4 million	Most valuable sale ever for Sotheby's Paris, a new house record

Monet's 'Iris' Sells for $56.2 Million, Setting French Auction Record at Sotheby's Paris

Monet's 'Iris' Shatters French Auction Record at Sotheby's Paris

A Century Unseen: The Painting's Unique Provenance

The Schlumberger Collection: A Resounding Success for Sotheby's

Auction Performance: 'Iris' and The Schlumberger Collection

Implications for the Impressionist Art Market

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