KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri announced on Tuesday morning that the famous ‘Mill at Limetz’ painting, created by Claude Monet in 1888, was sold at an auction last week.
The painting was auctioned off for almost $22 million at Christie’s in New York on May 16. Prior to its sale, the painting was toured around the world and seen by a variety of prospective buyers in Hong Kong, London, Paris and more.
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The buyer who purchased the painting remains anonymous, but the large global interest proves the painting’s value and significance in the long history and impact of Monet’s art.
‘Mill at Limetz’ was one of only two creations made in the summer of 1888 that showcased a view of the grain mill at Limetz on the River Epte — about a mile from the artist’s Giverny, France home. The other painting was also sold at an auction in the fall of 2023.
In 1986, the painting was given to the museum as a partial gift by Ethel B. Atha. However, after almost 40 years at the museum, Atha chose to sell the painting in September 2023 after her daughter, Ethelyn Atha Chase, died. Chase was known to hold a special interest in the painting.
Even though the ‘Mill at Limetz’ is no longer in Kansas City, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art continues to hold onto the legacy of Monet and the art he created over the span of his career. Some of the museum’s collections include his ‘Boulevard de Capucines,’ signalizing the birth of the impressionist art movement, and the infamous ‘Water Lilies’ painting.
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The museum also owns two lyrical snowscapes, both realized in 1875 and, currently, a local Kansas City collector is lending Monet’s 1881 painting titled, ‘Church at Vétheuil.’ This ensures the artist’s 1880s works will always be available and seen by the public.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is located at 4525 Oak Street in Kansas City, Missouri. It is open Saturday through Monday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., and it is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Admission to the museum is free.
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