‘Mornings on the Seine’ Painting by Claude Monet Could Fetch Nearly $23 Million

Christie’s will sell a painting from Claude Monet’s Matinées sur la Seine series at its evening sale of 20th- and 21st-century art on March 7 in London for an estimated price of up to £18 million (US$22.7 million).

Matinée sur la Seine, temps net (Mornings on the Seine, clear weather) , 1897, was consigned by an unnamed collector who bought it in May 1978 at a Sotheby’s auction in New York for US$330,000, according to Christie’s. The painting is among early examples of Monet’s practice of serialising specific scenes, “a technique that would ultimately transform his art,” Christie’s said in a news release.

In this example, Monet painted the river Seine during summer mornings in 1896 and 1897. “Tracing the sun as it passes over the scene, from the first rays of light at dawn, to the full brilliance of the sun at mid-morning, this extraordinary sequence of works was conceived as a connected, interrelated sequence of canvases,” Christie’s said.

A viewer can see the sun rising across the canvases when they are exhibited as a group, the auction house said. It was after Monet painted the Creuse valley in central France at different times of day in 1889 that he returned to the idea of serialization. A painting from the Creuse series, Prairie fleurie à Giverny , 1890, also will be offered during the March 7 evening sale. Christie’s has not placed a value on the work yet, which is being consigned from a Japanese collection.

Another example from the Seine series, also painted in 1897, sold at Christie’s in November 2017 from the collection of Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass. Titled simply Matinée sur la Seine , the painting sold for nearly US$23.4 million. Matinée sur la Seine, temps net has not been seen publicly since 1990, when it toured in an exhibition titled “Monet in the ‘90s: The Series Paintings,” which opened at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston before traveling to the Art Institute in Chicago, and the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

The painting will be on view in New York from Friday through Wednesday, before being shown in Hong Kong from Feb. 21-23 and then in London, March 1-7.

Falling interest rates are sparking a rebound in interest in commercial property. However, for many first-time investors, commercial property can feel very intimidating. With commercial property, there are typically numerous different numbers, complex leases, and unfamiliar terminology.

But once you understand what to look for, the pathway into commercial becomes much clearer and far more achievable than most people realise. So, what does a smart entry point into commercial property actually look like?

If there’s one standout option, it’s typically an industrial property with value-add potential.

Why industrial is the right place to start

Among all the commercial sectors, industrial is currently the most stable and accessible. Demand is being driven by the trades, small manufacturers, logistics operators and e-commerce businesses, many of which are growing rapidly and need practical space to operate from.

Unlike retail and office properties, industrial assets are typically simpler to understand. They’re often lower maintenance, easier to lease and more resilient to changes in the economy. This makes them well-suited to first-time investors who want to enter the market with confidence.

The importance of value-add potential

When looking at entry-level opportunities, many investors make the mistake of prioritising presentation. But it’s generally not the flashiest property that delivers the best returns. It’s the one where you can create the most upside.

That might mean buying a property where the current rent is well below market value. When the lease ends, you have the opportunity to negotiate a new lease at a higher rate, instantly increasing the property’s value.

In other cases, it may be a warehouse with a short-term lease in a high-demand area, providing you the opportunity to renegotiate the terms and secure a better return. Even basic improvements like repainting, improving access, or updating signage can make a big difference to tenant demand.

Don’t chase yield for the sake of it

A common trap for first-time commercial buyers is chasing the highest yield on offer. While yield is an important consideration, it shouldn’t be the only one. A high yield can sometimes signal a risky investment, one with a poor location, limited tenant demand, or low capital growth prospects.

Instead, smart investors focus on balance. A net yield of six to seven per cent in a strong, established area with reliable tenants and good fundamentals is often a far better outcome than a nine per cent yield in a declining market.

Yield is only part of the story. A good commercial investment is one where the income is sustainable, the asset has growth potential, and the risk is well-managed.

The risks of starting with retail or office

Retail and office properties can be suitable for experienced investors, but they’re often more complex and carry higher risk, especially for those just starting out. Retail in particular has faced significant changes in recent years, with e-commerce altering the way consumers shop.

Unless the property is in a high-traffic, local strip with essential services like medical, food or personal care, vacancy risk can be high. Office space is still adapting to the post-COVID shift towards remote work, and in many cases, demand has softened. If you’re entering the commercial market for the first time, it’s better to stick to simple, functional industrial assets in proven locations.

Where to look, and why

For first-time investors, some of the best opportunities can be found in outer-metro industrial precincts or larger regional centres.

Suburbs in places like Geelong, Logan, Toowoomba or Altona North offer a compelling combination of affordability, strong tenant demand and relatively low vacancy risk.

These areas often have diverse local economies that don’t rely on a single industry and offer entry points between $600,000 and $1 million, a sweet spot where competition from institutional investors is limited and owner-occupiers are still active.

What a good entry deal looks like

Imagine purchasing an industrial shed for $750,000 with a tenant in place and a current net yield of 6.5 per cent. The lease has about 18 months left, and you know the current rent is around $10,000 below market.

Once the lease expires, you can renegotiate or re-lease at the correct rate, increasing the income and, by extension, the value of the asset.

That’s a textbook example of a good commercial entry point. The property is tenanted, it generates income from day one, and it has a clear path to growing your equity within 12 to 24 months.

Abdullah Nouh is the founder of Mecca Property Group, a boutique buyer’s agency in Melbourne helping Australians build wealth through strategic property investment.