Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne's Personal Collection to Sell at Sotheby's
A mention of Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne will surely conjure images of both the weird and the wonderful: iconic sheep benches, shimmering crocodile furniture, or perhaps the enduring charm of all things avian. But one need not have an encyclopedic knowledge of the legendary French couple's oeuvre to recognize the allure. They were known to blend sculpture with design, infusing joy and intellect into their fantastic creations in a way that continues to transport those fortunate enough to enter the Lalanne orbit.
On October 23 and 24, Sotheby's will be offering around 300 lots from the collection of the late designers. Pieces from Claude and François-Xavier's home and studio in the village of Ury, France, will hit the auction block, including decades of work by both designers, intimate letters, and archival documents, and pieces from artists including Jasper Johns, Marcel Duchamp, Henri Matisse, and Pablo Picasso. These deeply personal objects do not come cheap—the Sotheby's pre-sale estimate of the collection is between $17 and $24.5 million. Fans the world over will surely queue in hordes as public exhibitions of the sale's highlights kick off in New York this August before shipping off to Hong Kong, London, and finally Paris.
The collection was kept in the longtime Ury, France, home of Claude—who died in April at age 94—and François-Xavier, where they lived and worked since moving there in 1967, the year they were married. (François-Xavier died in 2008 in Ury.) Though, today, their designs regularly fetch over a million dollars at auction, the Lalanne home in Ury showcased the livability of the works—shaggy-haired moutons by François-Xavier gathered in the living quarters while Claude's delicate metal benches subtly enlivened the white walls behind. Patinated sculptures of all shapes and sizes peppered the gardens. Twisting candelabras burned.
Florent Jeanniard—head of Sotheby's 20th-century design department in Europe—explains that the collection is an elegant combination of the Lalannes’ own covetable objects and exciting personal artifacts. Jeanniard lights up when describing the contents of the library: "We have access to all the secrets," he says with a laugh. "The library, the archive of 50 years of the creation of Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne." Inside, the team also found letters between the couple and iconic figures of fashion, including Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent. (Saint Laurent in particular had a close relationship with the designers.)
Though not traditional collectors, the Lalannes amassed "souvenirs" from artists with whom they were friends, likely personal gifts. No average mementos, these include a lithograph by Jasper Johns, sculptures by Jean Tinguely, pieces by Niki de St. Phalle, a small painting by Dorothea Tanning, a lithograph by Max Ernst signed for the Lalannes, and a Picasso print, among others. "They knew the world of fashion, the world of books, the world of art," Jeanniard says. "They knew everybody." Catalogues from notable art exhibitions throughout the years as well as unique jewelry and tableware by Claude will also be on offer.
Artists but also artisans, the Lalannes proved that living with art was more than having the brushstrokes of a famous painter displayed on one's wall. The grace and rarity of living with such objects, intentionally collected, as Jeanniard puts succinctly: "It's a dream."
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
