The Path Through the Irises (Le Passage à travers les Iris)
Painting on canvas • Claude Monet (1840–1926)
Style & Movement
Late Impressionism / Expressionist Impressionism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas using late Impressionist techniques including impasto, wet-on-wet application, and broken color. The brushwork is gestural, broad, and expressive.
Creation Period
Circa 1914-1917
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 200 x 180 cm (78.7 x 70.9 in); large-scale vertical format
Subject Description
A vibrant depiction of violet and pink irises lining a sun-dappled path in the artist's garden at Giverny. The composition is immersive, lacking a traditional horizon line, focusing on the play of light and atmosphere through dense vegetation.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent; maintained in a museum environment with stable paint film and vibrant pigment saturation.
Estimated Market Value
$30,000,000 - $50,000,000 USD
Auction Estimate
$35,000,000 - $45,000,000 USD
Provenance History
Originally from the artist's studio in Giverny; subsequently entered private and then major institutional collections (currently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).
Art Historical Significance
A critical work from Monet's late period at Giverny, representing his transition toward near-abstraction. It serves as a precursor to the Grandes Décorations (Water Lilies) and demonstrates his mastery of color despite his waning eyesight (cataracts).
Notable Features
Characterized by vigorous, almost calligraphic brushstrokes and a high-key palette; includes a large-scale gilt Rococo-style revival frame that emphasizes the work's importance.
Condition Issues
Minor age-related craquelure and slight darkening of natural resin varnish (if present), though generally professionally conserved.
Conservation Recommendations
Continued climate-controlled environment (50% RH, 20°C), UV-filtered lighting, and protective glazing for public display.