Six paintings by French impressionist painter Claude Monet are among the stars heading for New York City's spring art auctions.
Sotheby's says together they could bring $US78 million ($A103 million) to $US110 million ($A145 million) at its May 5 sale of impressionist and modern art.
A 1905 example from Monet's Water Lilies series that's been in private hands since 1955 is estimated to bring $US30 million to $US45 million.
A 1908 painting of Venice has a pre-sale estimate of $US15 million to $US20 million. The Nazis had confiscated the painting but the son of noted collector Jakob Goldschmidt got it back in 1960. It is now being sold from the collection of his late grandson.
Last year, Sotheby's sold 18 Monet paintings for $US190.5 million. Five others sold in London in February for $US83.8 million.
