Created during French artist Claude Monet’s final years, Nymphéas is a testament to his revolutionary approach to capturing the natural world. The painting, part of the renowned Water Lily series, reflects the artist bringing his Giverny garden into life.
The Nymphéas series was the original work that sparked the creation of the water lilies. Known for its evocative play of light and color, ‘Nymphéas’ encapsulates the essence of Impressionism and Monet’s innovative vision.
Made 125 years ago, this Monet masterpiece has been a cherished part of the artist’s family legacy and is now being presented from an esteemed private collection. Making its auction debut, this iconic work is one of the standout pieces in The Henderson’s 20th/21st Century Inaugural Evening Sale, in Hong Kong, on September 26.
Remarkably, only four other pieces from Monet’s groundbreaking Nymphéas series are held by prestigious institutions such as the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Kagoshima City Museum of Art, and Rome’s Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna. With dimensions of 73.3 x 101 cm, this celebrated work is estimated at HK$200,000,000 – 280,000,000 / US$ 25,000,000 – 35,000,000.
This piece, along with the seven others from Monet’s inaugural Nymphéas series, showcases a diverse range of formats, sizes, colors, and techniques as Monet explored the endless artistic possibilities of this new motif. Nymphéas immerses the viewer in a mesmerizing aquatic world, serving as a sublime example of Monet’s initial forays into a theme that would later define his work in the 20th century.
One of the most groundbreaking elements of this series is Monet’s removal of the horizon line. By narrowing the focus to the heart of the pond, he eliminated peripheral distractions, directing attention entirely to the ever-changing interplay of water, atmosphere, and light that constantly redefined the pond’s surface. These artistic qualities became the foundation of Monet’s entire Nymphéas series and influenced countless artists who followed in his footsteps.
Adrien Meyer, Global Head of Private Sales and Co-Chairman of Impressionist & Modern Art at Christie’s, commented, “Claude Monet’s Nymphéas are among the most influential images in modern art history. These Nymphéas reveal the pictorial innovations that would define his celebrated series. Presented for the first time at auction, it is no wonder that half of the paintings of this first series are already held in public institutions.”
The painting will be touring in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong in September for public viewing.
