Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne, both sculptors and artists, worked side by side for decades, creating iconic art works and sculptures from the mid-1950s until François-Xavier’s death in 2008. (Claude continued her work until she died in 2019 at the age of 94.)
In lieu of paying high inheritance taxes in France, which is exceptionally forgiven in the case of the works that are of important national heritage, the family gave a donation (in France it’s called dations) of 54 works,16 sculptures and 38 drawings, to the state, to avoid the taxes.
(It was a similar case with the Picasso family after Picasso died, and instead of paying the exorbitant inheritance taxes, they donated a significant trove of works to the state, with the promise of a dedicated museum of his work, hence the Picasso Museum in the Marais.)
The small but delightful collection is on display at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, which had a more extensive exhibition of over 150 pieces of couples work in 2010.
The Lalanne’s were influenced by Surrealism and strongly drawn to inspiration from animals and nature, when creating their whimsical and poetic pieces. Among the most famous of their sculptures are the life size hippopotamus, fabricated in blue resin and a rhinoceros made of brass, leather, and steel. Other iconic pieces include L’Homme à la Tête de Chou (The Man with the Cabbage Head, 1968), an oversized cabbage propped on two bird legs, which inspired pop singer Serge Gainsbourg to record a concept album with the same title, and the gingko leaf furniture.
The exhibition also has blown-up, black and white photos of them in their atelier.
Dation François-Xavier et Claude Lalanne
Until May 29, 2022
Musee des Arts Decortifs
107 Rue de Rivoli, 75001
https://madparis.fr/Histoires-naturelles-Dation-Francois-Xavier-et-Claude-Lalanne-au-Musee-des-Arts
I would kill for a place setting of this flatware
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Cost: $35 plus $5 shipping
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