Another London view by Monet goes up for auction

On 28 June 2022, Christie’s London will auction “Waterloo Bridge, effet de brume” (1904), a painting by Claude Monet with a pre-sale estimated in the region £24 million.

By G. Fernández – theartwolf.com – Image: Claude Monet, “Waterloo Bridge, effet de brume” (1904).

“I only love London in winter. Without fog, London would have no appeal. The fog gives it its marvellous magnitude“.

Claude Monet

“Waterloo Bridge, effet de brume” is one of a series of 41 paintings of the Waterloo Bridge painted by Monet between 1899 and 1904, and is being auctioned for the first time since 1939, having been in the possession of the same family for over 70 years. The work will be one of the stars of Christie’s auction of 20th and 21st century art in London on 28 June, and carries a pre-sale estimate in the region £24 million (around $30 million).

Before “Waterloo Bridge, effet de brume“, other London views painted by Claude Monet have achieved very positive results at auction. The most recent case is “Le Parlement, soleil couchant“, which less than three weeks ago was the star of the remarkable auction of the Anne H. Bass Collection, fetching $76 million. An even more direct reference is “Waterloo Bridge, effet de brouillard”, a painting from the same series as the one to be auctioned next month, which Christie’s sold for $48.5 million just a year ago. Two and a half years ago, Sotheby’s sold “Charing Cross Bridge” (1903) for $27.6 million. Another painting clearly comparable to the one Christie’s will auction on 28 June is “Waterloo Bridge, temps couvert“, which in 2007 exceeded all expectations when it sold for £17.9 million at Christie’s, far exceeding its pre-sale expectations of £6-8 million.

“It is a poetic masterpiece,” said Jussi Pylkkänen, Christie’s Global President, noting that, among all the works in the series, “Waterloo Bridge, effet de brume” stands out “for its fabulous morning light effect as the sun rises“. Keith Gill, Head of Impressionist and Modern Art at Christie’s London, explained that “London and Paris have always been at the centre of an exuberant cultural exchange and it was here that Monet discovered the unparalleled attraction of London’s unique, ever-changing environment. Inspired by how the atmosphere, light and architecture changed in an instant, he painted an illustrious series of canvases that capture the vivid light throughout the day on three of the capital’s landmarks.“