LONDON, June 24 – A Monet water-lily painting sold for £41 million ($80.5 million) on Tuesday, doubling the previous auction record for the artist and ensuring London’s key art market season got off to a flying start.

”Le Bassin aux Nympheas” had been expected to fetch £18-24 million, but after an intense bidding battle it smashed the previous Monet auction record of $41.5 million set in May.