When Claude Monet Planted Water Lilies, Inspiration Struck. An Upcoming Auction Will Test How Much Collectors Prize the Floral Masterpieces

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Claude Monet's iconic water lily paintings, born from his obsession with the Japanese bridge and gardens at Giverny, represent a late-career pivot that captivated the artist for three decades. Now, a marquee work from his "Nymphéas" series will test the market's appetite for these shimmering masterpieces when it hits auction later this month with estimates exceeding $40 million. The sale offers a rare glimpse into how contemporary collectors value Monet's most celebrated motif, one that transformed his artistic legacy and continues to command astronomical prices in today's art market.