Design 
28 March 2024
Design 
194

François-Xavier Lalanne

Barracuda letter opener

France, 1998
crystal, fruitwood, patinated brass 1½ h × 10¼ w × ½ d in (4 × 26 × 1 cm)
estimate: $1,500–2,000
result: $2,016
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Incised signature and number to lower edge ‘Baccarat fxl 2349’. Sold with original box and stand.

This work will ship from Chicago, Illinois.

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Animals are the only beings through whom one can enter another world.

François-Xavier Lalanne

François-Xavier Lalanne 1927–2008

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French artist and sculptor François-Xavier Lalanne was best known for his unique furniture pieces and whimsical animal imagery. Born in 1927, he studied fine arts at the Académie Julian in Paris. In 1952, at his first gallery show, he met Claude Lalanne. The two became one of the most dynamic husband and wife duos of the 20th century creating surreal sculptures and decorative arts. Their large-scale outdoor and public installations featured animals such as sheep, gorillas, and bulls cast in bronze. Lalanne’s work is included in the collections of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York. In 2010, he was honored by a retrospective at the Arts Décoratifs in Paris. François-Xavier Lalanne died in 2008.

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