Nymphéas (Water Lilies)
Painting on canvas • Claude Monet
Style & Movement
Impressionism (Late period), bordering on abstraction.
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; features loose, gestural brushwork with layered impasto and wet-on-wet techniques characteristic of the artist's late style.
Creation Period
1907
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 100 x 73 cm; vertical portrait format.
Subject Description
A view of the water lily pond at Giverny, focusing on the play of light and reflection on the water's surface. The composition features clusters of lily pads in the foreground and center-left, with intense golden-pink reflections of the sky or sunset dominating the central and upper vertical axis. The horizon line is excluded, creating an immersive, ethereal atmosphere.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Very Good; the canvas appears stable with natural age-related craquelure and no major visible paint loss.
Estimated Market Value
$30,000,000 - $50,000,000 USD
Auction Estimate
$25,000,000 - $45,000,000 USD
Provenance History
Likely originated from the artist's studio at Giverny; traditionally sold through dealers such as Durand-Ruel or Bernheim-Jeune. Specific subsequent private collection history would be found in the Wildenstein Index Raisonné.
Art Historical Significance
Crucial part of Monet's seminal 'Nymphéas' series. The works from 1907 are particularly celebrated for their vertical format and the 'reflets de ciel' (sky reflections), which bridged the gap between traditional landscape and 20th-century lyrical abstraction.
Notable Features
Features the artist's signature 'Claude Monet 1907' in the lower right corner. Notable for its unusual vertical perspective and high-keyed palette of corals, purples, and golds.
Condition Issues
Minor surface dirt accumulation, slight yellowing of old varnish (if present), and fine stable craquelure consistent with 100+ year old oil paint on canvas.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional surface cleaning if required; climate-controlled environment with 50% relative humidity; UV-filtering museum glass and exhibition-grade lighting to prevent pigment degradation.