François-Xavier Lalanne, French sculptor born in 1927, marks the history of contemporary art with his unique approach combining sculpture, functional design and fantasy. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux before settling in Paris, where he abandoned painting to devote himself to sculpture. There he met major figures such as Brâncuși, whose influence on his taste for the refined and poetic form was decisive.

As early as the 1950s, Lalanne developed a fascinating universe populated by animals. It is not simply a question of representing them, but of integrating them into our daily lives: his bronze sheep, for example, become both sculptures and seats.

In the 1960s, he met Claude Dupeux, a jewelry artist and sculptor. Their artistic complicity gives birth to the duo. “The Lalannes”, which marks the world of art and design with humor and delicacy. Together, they create a dialogue between forms, textures and uses.

Their work is based on a strong conviction: Art should not be limited to museums, it must inhabit our living spaces. François-Xavier Lalanne's creations, such as the Rhinocrétaire or the Ostrich Bar, are both decorative and functional, designed to integrate naturally into an environment, as would an animal in its habitat. Her gaze, always tinged with childlike dreams, invites you to rediscover the animal world in wonder.

Until his death in 2008, he infused each of his works with a touch of elegance, humor and poetry, creating an artistic language that was both unique and accessible.

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