Claude Monet painting sets record at Paris auction

A monumental painting by Claude Monet titled 'Iris' sold for 50 million euros at a Sotheby's auction in Paris, setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for an artwork in France. The canvas, measuring 1.60 by 1.80 meters, was created during the artist's final years and had remained in the private collection of the Schlumberger family in Paris for decades. Prior to the sale, the work was largely unknown to the public, having been documented only by a single black-and-white photograph, and surpassed its initial auction estimate of 22 to 30 million euros.

Thomas Bompard, co-director of the Modern and Contemporary Art department at Sotheby's France, noted the significance of the acquisition, confirming the piece was originally purchased by Jeanne Schlumberger. In a separate development during the same event, three paintings by Paul Cezanne were withdrawn from the auction just hours before bidding commenced. These works, which have been designated as 'national treasures,' are expected to be returned to the artist's birthplace in Aix-en-Provence following an agreement between the current owners and French authorities.