Monet’s Scene of the Seine River Sells for 18 Million

Monet’s Painting of the Seine River Sells at Auction for $18.5 Million

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Christie's (@christiesinc)

The world-renowned painter Claude Monet is famous today, and during his time among his Impressionist peers, for his fascination with natural scenes. Perhaps best known for painting the water lilies at his home at Giverny, he also found beauty in other parts of nature and architecture, including haystacks, cathedrals, and seascapes. Among Monet's paintings, the Seine River makes frequent appearances. He painted his hazy, cool-toned Matinée sur la Seine, temps net (translated as Morning on the Seine, clear weather) over 20 times, varying shades to reflect nature's own changes. Some examples of this series can be found at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the White House in Washington, D.C., among other collections. In March 2024, a painting from this series sold at Christie's for an impressive $18.4 million.

This Matinée sur la Seine, temps net series featuring the banks of the river was painted between 1896 and 1897. Monet created his own studio on a boat from which he could observe the chosen vantage. His works reflected shifting weather and light, and are stunning examples of Impressionists' treatment of light. Many of the works were then exhibited at the Galerie Georges Petit in 1898. The works also represent Monet's growing love for Giverny, the picturesque town he adopted in middle age and in which he lived the rest of his years. The painting series focused on where the Seine passes by this locale, rather than in Paris' bustling heart.

The recently auctioned work shows a sunny day beginning to break over the river, fluffy clouds just peeking out. The contemporary critic, Maurice Guillemot, upon viewing the works and interviewing the painter deemed the series “a marvel of contagious emotion and intense poetry.” The last time this specific work was offered at auction was 1978, when it was purchased by an anonymous buyer. This sale hit an impressive figure; however, it pales in comparison to some of Monet's other works—a water lilies painting sold for $74 million in 2023. No matter the price tag, a chance to own a Monet from this series is a rare treat.