Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
François-Xavier Lalanne was born in 1927 in Agen. After the war, he moved to Paris where he studied at the Académie Julian to become a painter. On the occasion of his first exhibition at the Cimaise Gallery in Paris in 1952, Lalanne met Claude Dupeux (Lalanne), his future wife. After meeting her, he gave up painting and started working with her.
The first joint exhibition for Claude and François-Xavier, titled "Zoophite," took place in 1964 at the J. Gallery. They revealed their creations — hybrids of sculptures and everyday objects. In 1966, they introduced themselves under the name Les Lalanne.
The two artists each created their own works but shared a common universe inspired by the animal and plant world and often exhibited together.
François-Xavier invented a bestiary composed of monkeys, rhinos, donkeys, camels, toads, hippos and cats. Among them, the sheep was undoubtedly his favorite animal. Alone or in a flock, with or without a head, sheathed in the fleece of sheep or not, his sheep sculptures can also constitute seats. His will, shared by Claude, was to desacralize the sculpture to give it a familiar dimension.
François-Xavier and Claude are also known for their public commissions. For example, in France, François-Xavier created two concrete pigeons in the city of Grande-Borne in Grigny, and Les Pleureuses (“The Mourners”) is a monumental fountain created in 1986 by the couple that was installed at the Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan.
The work of Les Lalanne is exhibited throughout the world, presented in both galleries and museums. The retrospective organized in 2010 by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs is one of the last major exhibitions of the duo.
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(Biography provided by Bailly Gallery Geneva-Paris)
20th Century French Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
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Late 20th Century French Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
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20th Century Neoclassical Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
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1970s English Art Deco Vintage Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
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Late 20th Century Swiss Art Deco Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
18k Gold, Gold Plate
Mid-19th Century Swiss Art Deco Antique Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
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Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
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1980s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
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1970s Vintage Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
Coral, Sterling Silver
20th Century Swiss Art Deco Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
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1880s European Belle Époque Antique Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
Amethyst, Base Metal
Late 19th Century European Renaissance Revival Antique Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
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Late 20th Century French Modern Claude Lalanne Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gold, Gold Plate