Haystack ... for $ 81 Million - The painting went under the Hammer at Christies
A painting of the great French painter Claude Monet was sold at a record amount at the auction of the British auction house "Christie". The auction took place on 16th November 2016. The painting "Meule", which shows a haystack, has fetched a total of $ 81,400,000. This is the highest amount ever offered for an artist's painting.
The painting "Meule" from 1891 refers to the series "Haystacks", which contains 25 artworks of this artist. The painting was initially estimated at about $ 40 million, but has increased significantly during the auction. The works of the impressionist Claude Monet are traditionally traded very high.
One of Monet's most expensive artworks was "The Pond with Waterlilies" in 2008. A little more than 80 million dollars were paid for this. A true drama broke out during the bidding for the "Meule". Five buyers fought for the image during the auction. In the end, the richest man bought the painting. He offered via phone and wanted to remain anonymous. The man raised the offer until his rivals gave up.
During the same auction, an artwork from 1935 named "Stiff and Flexible" by the Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky was sold. This work brought in more than $ 23 million. It was sold out of the collection of Kandinsky's assistant, who died in 1944. In addition, paintings by Pablo Picasso, Paul Cezanne, Henri Mattis and some others were marketed during the auction.
Claude Monet is a legendary figure. He is one of the signposts of impressionism. His work shaped the concept of "Impressionism" in history. In 1874, Monet painted "Impression.Sonnenaufgang". The famous critic Leroy noticed this and mentioned the part of the name for the first time in one of his articles. Thus, a new style in painting evolved.
Monet was a genius who perfectly mastered the interplay of light and colour. He loved nature and saw his environment very sharp. For him there were no objects in the world around us. Monet did not see objects and impressions. His most famous artworks include "Haystacks", "Cathedral of Rouen", "Thames River", "Gare Saint-Lazare" and "Water Lilies".
