Monet's 'hidden' water lilies sells for £13 million

A painting of Monet's water-lilies which has not been seen in public for 77 years has sold for over £13 million (€21,500,000) …

A painting of Monet's water-lilies which has not been seen in public for 77 years has sold for over £13 million (€21,500,000) at auction.

It became the most expensive painting to be sold in London this year when it went under the hammer at Sotheby's.

The picture, which Monet painted in 1906 as part of his famous water-lilies series, went to an anonymous bidder for £13,481,650, including buyer's premium.

The Impressionist masterpiece was last shown in public in 1925. The present owner's grandfather bought it in 1940 and it has remained in the family's private collection in rural France ever since.

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It had been expected to fetch upwards of £10 million and a Sotheby's spokeswoman said they were "delighted" with the sale.

The record for a Monet was set in 1998 when one of his paintings sold for £19.8 million (€31,000,000) at Sotheby's.