Claude Monet’s Famed ‘Waterloo Bridge’ Painting Could Fetch Over $30 Million

As part of its 20th / 21st Century: London Evening Sale on June 28, Christie’s will be offering one of Claude Monet’s most iconic works—Waterloo Bridge, effet de brume—as the star of the show. 

The Impressionist piece, which depicts the Thames surrounded by layers of fog and mist in the bright light of the rising sun, was created as part of the artist’s Vues du Londres (Views of London) series, in which he captures the city’s distinctive architecture and atmosphere in a slew of paintings. 

Interestingly, the painting is one of the 41 works Monet painted of Waterloo Bridge, 26 of which are currently in the safekeeping of public institutions, including at The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo; Bührle Foundation, Zürich, and the Art Institute of Chicago. 

This particular work is heading under the hammer following its long-term stint at the Kunstmuseum Basel. 

“London’s Waterloo Bridge is an inspirational subject which led to a celebrated series of paintings, the majority of which grace the walls of the great museums of the world,” said Jussi Pylkkänen, Global President at Christie’s.

“This example, which has been on long-term loan to the Kunstmuseum Basel, is distinctive for its fabulous morning light effect as the sun rises. It is a poetic masterpiece which will capture the imagination of the world’s collectors,” he added.

Will the painting go for over its estimate of £24 million (US$30.2 million)? Considering the artist’s previous painting sold for US$75.9 million in New York just months ago, it’s bound to be an all-out bidding war for this slice of art history.

#ClaudeMonet's Waterloo Bridge, effet de brume will be a highlight of Christie's 20/21 London to Paris sale series: https://t.co/Y3OkA9SFcZ pic.twitter.com/61nIcCCsID

— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) May 30, 2022

[via Luxurylaunches and Christie’s, cover image via Christie’s]