'BELIER'
Lot 130 FRANCOIS-XAVIER LALANNE (LOTS 130-134)

Abandoning painting in 1952, having won first prize from the Académie Julian and an exhibition at the Galerie Cimaise, François-Xavier Lalanne turned his back on the medium, explaining simply that for him, 'painting's over' ('la peinture, c'est foutu'). He met Claude in the same year and the two artists immediately understood that from now on their work would be created jointly. The couple moved in an eclectic circle, an artistic microcosm, which included the likes of Brancusi, Max Ernst and James Metcalf, as well as Jean Tinguely and Eva Aepply, Daniel Spoerri and Niki de Saint-Phalle.

The initial flock of Moutons de Laine was developed in the studio and soon invaded their apartment. Its first public appearance was in 1966, at the Salon de la Jeune Peinture Française at Paris's Musée d'Art Moderne. In 1977, Lalanne designed the Stone sheep, for his family initially, so they could brave all types of weather, whilst retaining their natural state, something which their woolly elders could not do. Lalanne revives animal art and introduces an element of folly, which paradoxically derives from the simplicity and the precision of his modelling.

'BELIER'

BY FRANCOIS-XAVIER LALANNE (1927-2008), 2006

Closed13 December 2018

Price Realised

GBP 187,500

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'BELIER'
BY FRANCOIS-XAVIER LALANNE (1927-2008), 2006
produced by Blanchet-Landowski, Bagnolet, France, number 213 from the edition of 250, epoxy stone and patinated bronze, underside stamped FXL/LALANNE/Landowski/Fondeur/2006/213 / 250
36 ¼ in. (92 cm.) high; 39 ¼ in. (100 cm.) long; 12 ½ in. (32 cm.) wide

Private collection, Europe;
Christie's, Paris, Art D'apres-Guerre Et Contemporain, 27 May 2009, lot 8 where acquired.