Monet's Water Lilies Sell for $65.5 Million After 17-Minute Bidding Battle | Sotheby's

There are Claude Monet paintings, and then there are Claude Monet Water Lilies. As the audience held its collective breath for over 17 minutes of bidding, three phone bidders vied for Monet’s ‘Nymphéas’ from The Collection of Sydell Miller. The masterpiece ultimately sold for $65.6 million in the Sotheby's New York saleroom. From her very first forays into fashion and the beauty business to her innumerable philanthropic endeavors, and the collection of fine art and design that she surrounded herself with, Sydell Miller lived a life of beauty, both inside and out. Tonight’s white-glove auction underscores Miller’s impeccable eye. The excitement isn’t over yet—‘A Legacy of Beauty: The Collection of Sydell Miller’ Day Auction begins on Tuesday, 19 November, at 10:00 AM EST.