May Premier Antique & Collectibles
Lot 19:
Description
Signed (lower left)
Image Dimensions: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 in (60 x 80 cm)
This lot is accompanied by a consignor-provided COA or related documentation, offered as received.
Claude Monet’s late works, particularly those painted in Venice in 1908, represent a culmination of his lifelong exploration of light, atmosphere, and perception. San Giorgio Maggiore, Sunset transforms a recognizable architectural landmark into a field of shifting color and luminous vibration, where the subject itself becomes secondary to the experience of seeing.
The composition is structured around a simple horizontal division between water and sky, interrupted by the vertical presence of the bell tower and the softer mass of the church. Yet this structure is not emphasized through line, but dissolved through color. The architecture appears less as a solid form and more as a silhouette emerging from light.
The sunset dominates the entire pictorial field. Rather than describing the sky, Monet constructs it through layers of warm and cool tones-intense oranges, pinks, and violets interwoven with blues-creating a surface that flickers and vibrates. The effect is not atmospheric illusion in a traditional sense, but a direct translation of optical sensation.
The water mirrors this transformation. Reflection is not rendered as a clear image but as a continuation of the sky’s color field, broken into horizontal strokes that suggest movement and instability. The boundary between sky and water becomes perceptual rather than physical.
Brushwork is loose, rapid, and fragmented. Individual strokes remain visible, yet they function collectively to dissolve form. The painting resists fixed outlines, allowing forms to emerge and recede simultaneously within the field of color.
The architecture, though central, is reduced to its essential presence. The bell tower anchors the composition vertically, but even this element is softened, its edges blurred by surrounding light. The solidity of structure is replaced by the immediacy of perception.
Color operates as both structure and subject. The intense warmth of the sunset contrasts with cooler tones in the upper sky and water, creating a dynamic equilibrium that sustains the composition without relying on traditional modeling.
From a structural perspective, the painting moves away from representation toward sensation. Space is flattened, depth is suggested rather than constructed, and the viewer is invited to experience the painting as a surface of light rather than a window into a scene.
From a market standpoint, Monet’s Venetian series holds a distinguished place within his late oeuvre. These works are highly valued for their synthesis of subject and perception, and are considered among the most refined expressions of Impressionism’s final phase.
In display, the painting radiates warmth and movement. Its color field engages the viewer immediately, while its subtle shifts sustain prolonged attention.
This work exemplifies Monet’s transformation of landscape into pure visual experience, where light dissolves form and perception becomes the true subject.
Condition: ALL PROPERTY IS SOLD AS IS, WHERE IS, WITH NO RETURNS OR CANCELLATIONS.
Additional photographs and condition reports may be provided upon request as a courtesy only. Any condition report, catalogue description, image, certificate, report, document, authentication statement, authentication opinion, specialist opinion, or communication regarding origin, date, age, attribution, authenticity, authorship, signature, condition, provenance, or value is an opinion only and not a representation, warranty, or assumption of liability by Yakon Auctions.
The absence of reference to defects, restoration, wear, damage, handling marks, conservation, alteration, or repair does not mean the lot is free from such matters. Photographs are for reference only and may not accurately reflect color, tone, dimensions, condition, signature details, or the true state of the lot. Buyers should review all images carefully, as they form part of the description.
Provenance is provided by the consignor, prior owner, or most recent owner and may not be supported by records. All reports, COAs, appraisals, authentication letters, provenance statements, invoices, labels, or related documents, including any opinions, analyses, or conclusions therein, are provided as received from the consignor, prior owner, or third party, and have not been independently verified by Yakon Auctions. Such materials are for reference only and are not guarantees of authenticity, authorship, signature, origin, age, period, provenance, condition, or value.
All artworks, antiques, collectibles, autographed items, signed memorabilia, music memorabilia, records, photographs, posters, entertainment collectibles, and related items are offered based on information and documentation provided with the lot. Unless expressly stated, Yakon Auctions has not independently authenticated any signature, inscription, attribution, authorship, association, provenance, pressing detail, edition, period, origin, or related documentation.
Terms such as "attributed to, " "after, " "manner of, " "circle of, " "school of, " "in the artist’s style, " or similar language mean the lot is not guaranteed to be by the named artist, maker, signer, studio, or period. Exact authorship, origin, attribution, or date may be unknown, and the lot may not be included in any official catalogue raisonne, archive, registry, or recognized reference source.
Yakon Auctions makes no express or implied warranties or guarantees regarding authenticity, authorship, signature, origin, age, period, condition, provenance, attribution, description, value, or marketability. Buyers are responsible for due diligence and should seek independent expert advice before bidding.
No return, refund, cancellation, or bid retraction will be accepted based on disputes regarding authenticity, attribution, authorship, signature, condition, provenance, description, estimated value, market value, or buyer’s post-sale opinion.
Original invoices, reports, certificates, or documents shown in listings will be included only if all items listed on that document are purchased. If only part relates to the purchased lot, a digital copy may be provided upon request at Yakon Auctions’ discretion.
Please bid responsibly. If you do not agree with auction sale principles, the "As Is" nature of the property, or the binding nature of bidding, please do not bid.
For inquiries, please contact Support@yakonauctions.com .
Share this lot:
