Water Lilies

"Water Lilies" is a renowned series of approximately 250 oil paintings by the French Impressionist Claude Monet. These captivating works depict the enchanting flower garden at his home in Giverny and were a significant focus of his artistry during the final 30 years of his life. Notably, many of these paintings were created while Monet was contending with cataracts.

Monet's interest in creating series of paintings with a unified theme began in 1889 with his "Valley of the Creuse" series. Another distinguished series is "Haystacks." In the 1920s, France constructed special oval rooms at the Musée de l'Orangerie to permanently exhibit eight of Monet's water lily murals. These rooms were opened to the public shortly after Monet's death. In 1999, a special exhibition at the Musée de l'Orangerie showcased 60 Water Lilies paintings from various collections worldwide.

Monet's Water Lilies paintings are displayed in museums globally, including the Princeton University Art Museum, the Musée Marmottan Monet, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, among many others.

Several of these paintings have commanded impressive sums at auctions. For instance, in 2007, one Water Lilies painting sold for £18.5 million at a Sotheby's auction in London. Another painting, "Le Bassin Aux Nymphéas" sold for nearly £41 million at Christie's in London in 2008. Despite their popularity and high prices, the series still comprises about 250 paintings, many of which have yet to be auctioned.

The Water Lilies series has been meticulously cataloged by Daniel Wildenstein in his work "Monet: Catalogue Raisonné." These paintings continue to enchant art enthusiasts around the world and hold a significant place in art history.