Tulip Fields with the Rijnsburg Windmill
Painting on canvas • Claude Monet
Style & Movement
Impressionism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, employing Impressionist brushwork and en plein air techniques including impasto and broken color application.
Creation Period
1886
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 65 x 81 cm; Landscape format
Subject Description
A vibrant landscape of Dutch tulip fields in horizontal rows of red, yellow, and white leading toward a traditional wooden windmill and a red-roofed house. The composition features a low horizon line under a bright, cloud-filled sky, capturing the fleeting effects of light and color.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good/Very Good; The painting appears stable with age-appropriate surface characteristics.
Estimated Market Value
$25,000,000 - $40,000,000 USD (Reflecting high-tier Impressionist masterworks)
Auction Estimate
$20,000,000 - $35,000,000 USD
Provenance History
Formerly in the collection of the Musée d'Orsay (bequest of Camille Pissarro's widow or via the state); currently held at the Musée d'Orsay, Paris. Previously exhibited at the Galerie Boussod et Valadon.
Art Historical Significance
Crucial work from Monet's brief 1886 trip to Holland, where he was inspired by the saturated colors of the tulip fields, marking a developmental step toward his serial paintings of the 1890s.
Notable Features
Features the artist's signature (bottom left); notable for its rhythmic application of short brushstrokes that mimic the texture of the flower heads.
Condition Issues
Minor surface craquelure consistent with 19th-century oil paintings; slight yellowing of old varnish may be present.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain in a climate-controlled environment (50% RH, 20°C). Use of UV-filtering museum glass and low-intensity LED lighting to prevent pigment degradation.