A Monet masterpiece, Water Lilies, will be auctioned in Hong Kong with an estimated price of over 200 million HKD

Breaking news from the art world. Claude Monet's masterpiece "Water Lilies," created 125 years ago, will be auctioned in Hong Kong on September 26, leading the first evening auction of the 20th and 21st centuries.

This "Water Lilies" has been in the collection of the Monet family for many years. This time, it is consigned for auction by a private collector. This is not only its first appearance at an auction in 125 years but also the first time a Monet "Water Lilies" series work is auctioned in Asia. This work was created around 1897 to 1899. After Monet settled in Giverny, France, it was his earliest exploration of the "Water Lilies" theme. This theme ran through his life thereafter and inspired him to create more than 200 oil paintings. There are only 8 works in this "Water Lilies" series. Four of them have been treasured by well-known art museums such as the Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Kagoshima City Museum of Art, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome. It can be seen that this work to be auctioned is extremely precious. Christie's official estimate is 200 million to 280 million Hong Kong dollars.

Monet's "Water Lilies" series has a profound influence on modern art history. Its unique artistic style and expression techniques are highly praised. This "Water Lilies" showcases Monet's superb depiction of light, color, and water surface, making the audience feel as if they are in a sparkling pond. Previously, the "Water Lilies" series works were exhibited at the Chengdu Museum in 2017. At that time, a circular composition "Water Lilies" on display triggered an upsurge of visitors in Chengdu. Many people queued for hours just to catch a glimpse of it, which shows the great influence of this series globally.

This auction of "Water Lilies" in Hong Kong has attracted high attention from the art world, the collecting community, and art lovers. All parties are full of expectations for the auction performance of this work. It may set off a wave in the art market and also highlights the growing importance and huge potential of the Asian art market.