Monday 5 May 2008

Mr and Mrs


Vache Paysage, 2006.


Hippopotame II (bar)
Bronze, iron, copper and wood.


Rhinocrétaire
François-Xavier Lalanne.


Grand Sphinx, 1999.


Banbiloba, 2005.


Pomme de Ben, h: 48 x w: 36.2 x d: 33.5 in.


Les Grandes Berces, 2000.


Gingko Guéridon II, 2007.


Banc Crocodile, 2005.
Claude Lalanne.
All images from JGM. Galerie

The husband and wife team of François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne have been creating some of the 20Th Century's most original furnitures for over forty years. They are the personification of what the decorative arts can and should be. His pieces are monumental, allegorical, yet lighthearted. Hers are organic, poetic, and dream like.
François-Xavier Lalanne's credo, The supreme art is the art of living.

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10 comments:

Easy and Elegant Life said...

Just saying "Rhinocrétaire" makes me laugh. Far more useful than another elephant foot umbrella stand.

An Aesthete's Lament said...

Don't the Devonshires have a Vache Paysage at Chatsworth? I went to a lecture by the duke and recall seeing it (or something quite like it) in his PowerPoint presentation ... the one sculpture, frankly, I could have killed for.

Suzy said...

I have recently fallen in love with their work, they're stunning!

rubyhanoi said...

I love the Lalanne's work! Especially their crocodile armchair

Pigtown*Design said...

Simply stunning.

femme hesse said...

I don't believe I've EVER been so wowed by someone's work as I am by the piece "Banbiloba". It makes me desperately wish I were a poet...

Marie Louise said...

I've seen a bit of their stuff before but it was great to get a broader overview. Cool blog - I'll be checking back!

London Calling said...

Gorgeous.

Topsy Turvy said...

There is a new book about the Lalannes coming out later this year - can't wait to get a look at it.
Nice post - I haven't seen some of these pieces.
-Lana

Unknown said...

completely amazing stuff- i'm looking forward to the book mentioned by lana!