Claude Monet

Claude Monet (1840–1926) was a pioneering French painter and the founding figure of the Impressionist movement. Known for his expressive brushwork and vibrant color palette, Monet captured the fleeting qualities of light and atmosphere in nature, producing some of the most iconic landscape paintings in Western art. His works—especially the Monet Water Lilies, Monet Haystacks, and Venice series—remain highly sought after by collectors and institutions worldwide.

Monet was born in Paris and raised in Le Havre, where he was introduced to plein-air painting by Eugène Boudin. After moving to Paris, he became a central figure among emerging artists including Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Alfred Sisley. In 1872, Monet painted Impression, Sunrise, which gave the Impressionist movement its name and marked a shift in the trajectory of modern art.

In 1883, Monet moved to Giverny, where he cultivated his famous gardens and painted the Monet Water Lilies series—masterpieces that defined the final decades of his career. His approach to capturing subtle variations in light and season produced not only iconic canvases but also transformed the possibilities of landscape painting.

Monet’s paintings are held in major collections such as the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the National Gallery in London. His market remains robust, with strong results in every Claude Monet auction.

At Sotheby’s, Claude Monet paintings appear regularly in our Impressionist & Modern Art auctions, offering collectors rare access to iconic works by the master of French Impressionism.