In November 2021, a white-glove sale at Sotheby's Paris of the creations of artist couple François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne brought in an impressive 78.3 million euros (around £65.3 million) – more than five times what was predicted. The sale also set a record for an object by François-Xavier, with Le Leopard I sold for 8.3 million euros (£6,9 million). All the pieces in the three auctions came from the collection of Dorothée Lalanne, the artist duo's daughter.
This autumn, the Lalannes are going for a second round, with an auction that will include a total of 90 sculptures that Dorothée inherited from her parents, who died in 2008 and 2019 respectively. Some of the pieces have never been shown before. Sotheby's has not yet announced the exact date of the auction, but it has announced where the lots can be admired for the first time: the iconic Dior flagship store at 30 Avenue Montaigne, with which Les Lalanne had a long-standing relationship that began in 1957, when the couple was commissioned to design some of the displays.
Related: Christian Dior: A Flash of Brilliance
Christie's New York will also feature some of the artists' pieces this autumn, presenting the first major sale of the duo's work in the United States. The Sculpting Paradise auction is scheduled to begin mid-November at Rockefeller Center. It will feature around 250 works, including notable pieces such as the Grand Requin, Console Gorille, Grand Poisson Paysage and Choupatte.
In this case, the consignor is another daughter of the artist couple, Marie Lalanne, who is an artist herself and has been living in the United States for some time.
Related: Six Facts to Know: Les Lalanne
"Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne are among the most talented and original artists of the 20th and 21st centuries," said Guillaume Cerutti, Christie’s CEO. "We are particularly proud, thanks to the initiative of their American daughter Marie Lalanne, to be able to present in New York, at the heart of the modern and contemporary art auction season, a selection so emblematic of their artistic universe and creativity. It is a privilege for our teams around the world to work on this sale that will consolidate the international recognition that these unique artists deserve."
A selection of the lots will be previewed on a tour that will stop in Los Angeles, Paris and Dubai.
