Monet's Haystacks: $110.7M Record at Sotheby's
A private collection holds Claude Monet's 1890 painting 'Meules' (Haystacks), which sold at Sotheby's in 2019 for $110.7 million, setting a new artist record. The work is part of Monet's iconic haystack series, comprising 25 paintings, of which 15 were exhibited at Galerie Durand-Ruel in 1891. Monet, then 50, bought his Giverny property in 1890, and the haystacks were inspired by adjacent fields. The stacks, typical of Normandy, were over ten feet tall and cylindrical with peaked domes. The painting features strong diagonal lines and rich color harmonies.
Key facts
- Monet's 'Meules' (Haystacks) sold at Sotheby's in 2019 for $110.7 million
- The sale set a new artist record for Monet
- Monet painted 25 haystack paintings in total
- 15 haystack paintings were exhibited at Galerie Durand-Ruel in 1891
- Monet turned 50 and bought his Giverny property in 1890
- The haystacks were over ten feet (3 meters) tall, sometimes 20 feet (6 meters)
- The stacks' shape is typical of Normandy: cylindrical base with peaked dome
- The painting is held in a private collection
Entities
Artists
- Claude Monet
Institutions
- Sotheby's
- Galerie Durand-Ruel
Locations
- Giverny
- France
- Normandy