The Schlumberger private collection will bring previously unseen Monets to auction at Sotheby’s in Paris on 22 October. Iris is estimated at €22–30 million — a record range for a painting sold in France — while Weeping Willow is valued at €9–10 million. Curators highlight that the canvases are unrestored and unvarnished, preserving Monet’s thick impastos. The sale of 28 works, including pieces by Camille Claudel, Gustave Moreau and a Cézanne triptych, is expected to raise over €40 million.
Unseen Monet Masterpieces — 'Iris' and 'Weeping Willow' Lead Sotheby’s Paris Sale
"Iris" and "Weeping Willow": unseen Monet paintings go on sale in Paris
Rare works by Claude Monet from the private Schlumberger collection will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in Paris on 22 October. The star lot, Iris, carries an estimate of €22–30 million — the highest price range ever set for a painting sold in France — while Weeping Willow is valued at €9–10 million. Curators emphasise that these late Monet canvases remain on their original supports, unvarnished and unrestored, preserving the thick impasto surfaces the artist is known for.
Exceptional Condition and Provenance
The paintings have hung for a century in a Schlumberger family sitting room and have never been moved. According to Thomas Bompard, co-director of Sotheby’s France’s Modern and Contemporary Department, the works are "exactly as Monet painted them 100 years ago":
"It has no varnish, it is on its original canvas and has never been restored. They are exactly as Monet painted them 100 years ago."
Conservators warn that varnish can alter a painting’s chromatic balance and that invasive restoration risks damaging the paint texture. As art historian Marianne Mathieu observes:
"Late Monet is a Monet who works the material. So to truly discover and understand him, that material has to be preserved. And we still have these thick impastos."
Public Firsts and Market Context
Remarkably, these Monets have not previously been seen by the general public in colour. Jeanne Schlumberger (1889–1983) acquired the works directly from Monet’s family through gallerist Katia Granoff, bypassing the auction market. The private provenance and long invisibility of the canvases have helped fuel interest and ambition in the sale.
The auction is also coinciding with the centenary of Monet’s death on 5 December 1926 and with major Monet exhibitions opening in Paris, factors that have helped sharpen market and public attention.
Sale Highlights
Sotheby’s will offer 28 works from the Schlumberger collection, with the sale expected to raise more than €40 million. The catalogue includes four Monets, a sculpture by Camille Claudel, and several paintings by Gustave Moreau. A three-panel ensemble by Paul Cézanne is also included: the central panel, La Ferme, is described as "the largest work by the artist ever to be offered at auction" and carries an estimate of €600,000–€800,000.
Those three Cézanne panels have been classified as national treasures, a designation that gives the French state a 30-month window to arrange a possible acquisition.
Why This Matters
Beyond headline prices, the sale is significant for scholars and collectors because it offers rare, well-preserved examples of Monet’s late technique. The combination of exceptional condition, private provenance and high-profile timing makes this a landmark moment for the market and for public access to previously unseen masterworks.
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