Straight from the museum to the auction block, Sotheby’s announces the inclusion of Manet’s first version of one of his most famous images in this month’s sale:

Sotheby’s today announces that its forthcoming Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale on 24th June 2015 will feature Le Bar aux Folies-Bergère of 1881 by Édouard Manet, estimated at £15-20 million / $23-30.7 million / €21-28 million depicting one of the artist’s most celebrated and iconic subjects. The painting remained in the artist’s personal collection up until his death, after which his famed dealer Paul Durand-Ruel was able to procure the work. The painting was shown to the public in 1905 in the now legendary exhibition at the Grafton Galleries, London, which introduced the British public to Impressionism. Testament to its outstanding quality, it has since been exhibited extensively internationally; reflecting its importance and provenance Le Bar aux Folies-Bergère most recently featured as one of the highlightsof the National Gallery’s blockbuster exhibition in London Inventing Impressionism:Paul Durand-Ruel and the Modern Art Market – a high note upon which the show ended.