Claude Monet painting depicting water lilies that belonged to the late reclusive philanthropist Huguette Clark sold for $27 million at Christie’s auction in New York on Tuesday. The 1907 painting, titled “Nympheas,” was sold to an unidentified private buyer from Asia in the season-opening auction of impressionist and modern art. The painting, part of Clark’s collection since 1930, has not been publicly exhibited since 1926. It sold for $24 million, plus a $3-million buyer’s premium, falling short of the auction house’s estimate of $25 million to $35 million.
The sale was beefed up by consignments from three estates: copper heiress Huguette Clark, billionaire Edgar Bronfman and German collectors Viktor and Marianne Langen.
Paintings by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso and Amedeo Modigliani helped Christie’s sell $285.9 million of Impressionist and modern art in New York yesterday, 80 percent more than a year ago. The result, which represented the highest tally in the category in four years, fell within the estimated presale range of $243.5 million to $358.9 million, the auction house said.
