on Thursday. "Haystacks, last rays of the sun" has been a missing link in Monet's "Haystacks" series, and the auction house Sotheby's estimates it will sell on June 26 for between $7 million to $10 million, Reuters reported.
The painting has been known to scholars until now only through an old black-and-white illustration.
It is one of the earliest of the 23 "Haystacks" series, painted in Normandy between 1890 and 1891, and one of only eight left in private hands. Of those eight, it is the only one not to have been exhibited this century.
Monet's friend Paul Gallimard bought it from the artist the year after it was painted, and lent it for exhibition until 1895. It has not been seen in public since then, and has never left France until now.
The work passed from Gallimard to his son, who sold it to a private collector in 1953. It has been put up for sale by one of the collector's descendants.
"The chance to see this work for the first time is extremely exciting for collectors and scholars interested in Monet's work," said Melanie Clore of Sotheby's.
"The painting has a luminous vibrancy which makes it particularly stunning," she added.
Experts say the historical importance of the "Haystacks" series, together with the painting's impeccable provenance, could help it fetch a much higher price than its estimate.
The most expensive Monet ever to be sold was one of his waterlilies paintings, "Bassin aux nympheas et sentier au bord de l'eau," which fetched $33 million at auction in 1998.
"Haystacks, last rays of the sun," is painted in oil on canvas and measures 29 inches by 34 inches.
Works by Monet, Brueghel stolen from museum (2007-08-06)Picasso's Mistress Sets Auction Record for Year (2002-06-26)Monet to Be Sold After a Century in Hiding (2001-04-27)7 (11285)
