A generous collector’s gift

The National Museum of Western Art was established in 1959 to house Kojiro Matsukata’s Western art collection. One of the most renowned pieces in this collection is Monet’s “Water Lilies” (1916), which, incredibly, the collector bought personally from the artist. How could this Japanese collector acquire the masterpiece directly from the French master?

After Monet, one of the leading painters in the early days of Impressionism, moved to Giverny, located near Paris, at the age of 43, he spent the rest of his life painting a pond with water lilies he had created in the garden. This painting, focusing solely on water lilies, is considered one of his late masterpieces.

Matsukata saw this piece in December 1921 at Monet’s art studio in Giverny. Around then, the Japanese tycoon, who amassed great wealth in shipbuilding, traveled around Europe to collect art pieces. It was French politician Georges Clemenceau who arranged a meeting for the two figures. Finding out Monet’s taste before the meetup, Matsukata gifted him a Cognac Napoleon. It was said that Monet was overjoyed upon receiving it, just as a little kid. Taking a look around the atelier, Matsukata said that he expressed a keen interest in acquiring 18 paintings, explaining that he hoped to build an art museum in Japan so that his masterpieces could be shown to young students who had never seen such great works before. At first, Monet hesitated to sell his works. Moved by the Japanese collector’s generosity, good manners, and altruistic plans, he agreed with his idea. Despite Clemenceau’s discount proposal, Matsukata politely declined the offer and gave Monet a check for one million francs. He acquired a total of 25 works from Monet the following year.

The key to preparing a great gift is not thinking of what the giver wants to get but giving what the recipient is fond of. The Cognac Napoleon was considered a high-end, luxurious, and special gift in France in the era. It must have come across as an appreciation of respect for French culture overall and Monet’s personal taste because it was not only a traditional French liquor but also Monet’s favorite. Moreover, given such a generous offer, how could even Monet have said ‘no’?