SG · International contemporary art platformSotheby’s Paris will auction 28 artworks from the Schlumberger collection on 22 October 2026. The highlight of the sale is Claude Monet’s painting ‘Iris’, which is estimated at €22–30 million. This is the highest estimate ever set for a painting at auction in France. The total value of the collection is expected to exceed €40 million.
The Schlumberger collection was assembled beginning in the 1950s, in collaboration with Parisian dealer Katia Granoff. It features avant-garde works and periods, including pieces by Paul Cézanne, Pierre Bonnard, Gustave Moreau, Chaïm Soutine, and Georges Rouault.
‘Iris’ and two other paintings from the collection have been designated as “national treasures” by French authorities. This designation gives the French state 30 months to arrange a possible acquisition before the works can be sold to private buyers.
Coinciding with the auction, two exhibitions about Monet’s life and work will open in Paris at the end of September: “Monet, Painting Time” and “Stories of Landscapes, from Monet to Hockney.”
The auction presents collectors with a rare opportunity to acquire significant works from a notable collection. The national treasure status highlights the cultural importance of these paintings within France.
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