How Much Is The Magpie Worth?

The Magpie is a landmark early Monet and arguably the most celebrated snowscape in his oeuvre. Executed in 1868–69, it crystallizes Monet’s pioneering use of colored shadows and luminous atmosphere at a pivotal moment in his development. The composition’s poetic simplicity—a solitary bird atop a snow‑covered gate—has become a canonical image that appears frequently in scholarship and museum narratives. Its prominent display and broad reproduction history amplify its cultural footprint, elevating it beyond a subject category (winter scenes) that otherwise tends to price below Monet’s major series. This reputational weight is a primary driver of nine‑figure valuation.

Monet snowscapes appear at auction far less frequently than his late garden series, and few approach The Magpie’s scale, beauty, and fame. Museum‑grade early masterpieces with this level of recognition are effectively unavailable: The Magpie has no modern auction history and has been in a national museum for decades. Scarcity at this qualitative tier drives intense competition when comparably important Monets do appear, often compressing bidding into a small cohort of determined buyers. In value terms, rarity is not merely quantitative but qualitative: the painting’s unique status as the definitive Monet winter icon places it in a near‑singular supply category.

Monet’s record price of $110.7m for Meules (2019) demonstrates a nine‑figure ceiling when a best‑in‑class, series‑defining work is offered. Recent prime Water Lilies have achieved $65.5–74.0m (2024–2023), confirming sustained global depth for top Monets even through more selective market phases. The Magpie is not a Nymphéas or Grainstack, but its canonical status within Monet’s early oeuvre and broad image recognition support positioning near or above the record in an unconstrained sale. This factor anchors the $120–170m range, with the high end reflecting the potential for cross‑category bidding on a museum‑defining icon.

At 89 × 130 cm (35 × 51.2 in), The Magpie has exceptional wall power, and its crystalline winter light and graphic silhouette read with great clarity at distance. For nine‑figure works, condition is pivotal: paint‑layer stability, surface freshness, and conservation history materially affect outcomes. As a work in a national museum, it benefits from high standards of care, and its celebrated exhibition life supports the perception of strong condition and quality. While any undisclosed structural issues would adjust price, the combination of scale, pictorial punch, and presumed museum‑level condition supports the work’s placement at the very top of Monet’s market.

The painting belongs to the Musée d’Orsay and is inalienable under French law (Musées de France). Practically, this means it is not saleable; a hypothetical sale within France would likely trigger preemption and export controls, narrowing the buyer pool and compressing price. Our range is calibrated to an unconstrained, international sale scenario to provide a robust benchmark for insurance and comparative purposes. If constraints applied, realized value could fall below the indicated band due to reduced competition and logistical barriers. This factor affects realizability rather than intrinsic market appeal, hence a medium impact designation.