According to market specialists, their reappearance constitutes one of the most relevant events of the year in the international art world, both for its economic value and its historical importance and state of conservation. The first of the works was created shortly after Monet settled in Giverny, where he developed a technique based on painting from his boat on the Seine River. Buenos Aires, April 2 (NA) – Two previously unknown works by the French painter Claude Monet have reappeared after remaining out of the public circuit for over a century and will be auctioned on April 16, 2026, at Sotheby's Paris, with estimates exceeding 10 million euros for both paintings. These are "Les Îles de Port-Villez" (1883) and "Vétheuil, Effet du Matin" (1901), two canvases that had remained in private collections for 115 years. The artist's record has stood since 2019, when his work "Meules" (1890) reached $111 million at an auction in New York. The appearance of previously unknown works by Monet is becoming increasingly rare, especially those from the 1880s, which are usually safeguarded in museums. Its estimated value ranges from 6 to 8 million euros. The interest in these pieces is framed in the sustained demand for Monet in the global market. The work has an estimated value of between 3 and 5 million euros. Meanwhile, "Vétheuil, Effet du Matin" reflects the artist's evolution almost two decades later. Painted in 1901, the work presents a panoramic view of the Seine with a more experimental treatment of light and color. Although the artist produced barely half a dozen views of that area, this painting had not been publicly exhibited since the early 20th century, when it passed through the gallery of art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel in New York. Sotheby's specialists highlight that this period marked a consolidation in Monet's compositional freedom, where he explored new frames and atmospheric effects. The scene depicts a wooded island opposite the village, with energetic brushstrokes in greens and blues. Of a larger format and linked to a series of fifteen pieces, it demonstrates a technical maturity that experts associate with the artist's final period. In this context, the auction in Paris anticipates strong competition among collectors and reinforces the relevance of Impressionism in the international market.
