Two extraordinary, rediscovered landscapes by Claude Monet, previously unseen for ninety-eight and one hundred and fifteen years respectively, are slated for auction in Paris on April 16th. These significant works, depicting the evocative waterscapes of Giverny and Vétheuil – central locations in Monet’s life and artistic journey – resurface this year, coincidentally marking the centenary of the artist’s death, after being preserved for decades in France.
Thomas Bompard, Co-Head of Modern and Contemporary Art at Sotheby’s Paris, stated, “It’s always an extraordinary moment when a Claude Monet painting reappears on the market, but to rediscover two simultaneously is truly exceptional. When these are two important landscapes by the master of Giverny, preserved in such remarkable condition, the moment becomes even more special.” He added that the reunion of Les Îles de Port-Villez (1883) and Vétheuil, effet du matin (1901) feels like a “time capsule.” Monet painted these two notable landscapes twenty years and twenty kilometers apart, and now they are reunited, returning to the very Parisian gallery where, nearly 115 years ago, the initial sale of the extraordinary Vétheuil was finalized.
Though painted two decades and twenty kilometers apart, these two landscapes capture Monet at pivotal points in his career. Together, they trace his journey along the Seine—from his discovery of Giverny in 1883 to his sophisticated explorations of light and atmosphere characteristic of his turn-of-the-century work. Aurélie Vandevoorde, also Co-Head of Modern and Contemporary Art at Sotheby’s Paris, commented, “Preserved for decades in two different private collections in France, these paintings together offer something akin to a ‘20/20 vision’ of Monet’s artistic path. Viewed side-by-side, they reveal the evolution of a painter whose relentless exploration of light and atmosphere would profoundly influence the course of modern art.”
Les Îles de Port-Villez, dated 1883, carries an estimated value of €3-5 million. It is preserved in exceptional condition and is being presented ‘in color’ for the first time since its creation, having previously only been known through black and white photographs. Vétheuil, effet du matin, from 1901, is estimated at €6-8 million. This painting belongs to a remarkable series where Monet revisited one of the most prolific subjects of his career: the Seine valley. Many works from this series are now housed in major museum collections, including the Musée d’Orsay, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Pushkin Museum. Vandevoorde elaborated, “Until recently, one was known only through a black and white photograph, and the other through a reproduction published in 1985. Encountering them live for the first time – and finally seeing the extraordinary vibrancy of Monet’s colors – has been a deeply moving experience. It was as if the paintings came back to life before our eyes.” Both artworks will be on display and offered for sale in Paris this spring.
