[Guest post] A €50 million Monet: Public domain, private property, and the hidden IP in an art auction
[Guest post] A €50 million Monet: Public domain, private property, and the hidden IP in an art auction
The IPKat has received and is pleased to host the following guest post by Katfriend Monica Ezsias , discussing relevant copyright issues facing a public domain artwork like the recently auctioned Monet’s Iris . Here’s what she writes: A €50 million Monet: Public domain, private property, and the hidden IP in an art auction by Monica Ezsias In October 2026, Claude Monet’s Iris (1924–25) sold at Sotheby’s Paris for €50 million, making it the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in France. The iris flower was supposedly one of Monet’s favourites. The painting, from the collection of Jeanne Schlumberger, had never been publicly exhibited since its creation. Monet died in 1926, meaning his works are now in the public domain in the UK and EU. But what exactly does a buyer acquire when purchasing an original artwork? And if anyone can reproduce Iris without seeking copyright permission, what makes the painting worth €50 million? The artist, the collector, and the copyright Purchasing a...