NEW YORK CITY – Pursued by five bidders, a large-scale version of one of Claude Monet’s iconic waterlilies works achieved $70,353,000 in Sotheby’s trio of sales conducted on May 12. “Le Bassin aux nymphéas” now ranks in the top five most expensive works by the artist to be sold at auction, going home to an Asian bidder.

The firm’s New York saleroom, redesigned for the occasion by Hamilton set designer David Korins, welcomed a limited number of clients for a series of gala-style sales that brought together in-person and digital experiences.

Together, the three sales realized $597 million, exceeding the estimate and bringing the overall total auction sales at Sotheby’s worldwide for the week to $672,897,518, with additional sales taking place in Geneva, London and Paris and day sales of Impressionist, Modern and contemporary art not factored in at press time.

The Impressionist and Modern art evening sale was, in the words of Helena Newman, the firm’s worldwide head of Impressionist and Modern art, “a resounding vote of confidence in the Impressionist and Modern art market, with strong global demand for the roll call of great names we were able to present.”

The sale totaled $221.3 million with 94 percent sold, led by Monet’s “Le Bassin aux nymphéas.”

For more information, 212-607-7000 or www.sothebys.com.