Water Lilies (Nymphéas)
Painting on canvas • Claude Monet (French, 1840–1926)
Style & Movement
French Impressionism; Late Period
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; Impressionist technique involving short, staccato brushstrokes, wet-on-wet application, and heavy impasto to create texture and light effects.
Creation Period
Circa 1914–1917
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 130 x 200 cm (51 x 79 in); Landscape format
Subject Description
A close-up view of a pond surface populated with clusters of green water lily pads and white/pink blossoms. The composition lacks a horizon line or fixed focal point, emphasizing the reflection of light and sky on the water's surface through a palette of lavender, blue, green, and ethereal purples.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent; well-preserved pigment stability and visible impasto peaks.
Estimated Market Value
$40,000,000 – $70,000,000 USD
Auction Estimate
$35,000,000 – $50,000,000 USD
Provenance History
Likely sourced from the artist's estate (Giverny) after his death in 1926; private French collections before entering the international art market or museum holdings.
Art Historical Significance
A fundamental work in the transition from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism. Monet’s late ‘Nymphéas’ series revolutionized Western art by dissolving traditional perspective into a meditative, all-over composition focused on local color and atmosphere.
Notable Features
Distinctive late-period vertical gesture in the lower foreground reflecting the bank's irises or grass; visible signature fragments in lower left; exceptional layering of purples to suggest deep water reflection.
Condition Issues
Minor surface dust and natural age-related craquelure in heavier impasto areas; no significant losses or structural damage visible.
Conservation Recommendations
Keep in a climate-controlled environment (50% relative humidity, 20°C); use low-UV lighting. Periodic inspection for pigment flaking recommended.