Brebis Transhumante, 1988

The French artist François-Xavier Lalanne is widely known for his surreal and naturalistic animal sculptures. Together with his wife and artistic partner, known collectively as ‘Les Lalanne’, he spent five decades restoring familiarity in the fine art world, blurring the lines between decorative and fine art. The artist believed art should be functional and part of our everyday domestic experience. His exquisite portfolio of decorative furniture, blending animal and mythological imagery in a playful, imaginary and highly fashionable way, is an ode to historic French craftsmanship, surrealism and art nouveau. Lalanne, against the popular abstract trends of the ‘60s, believed that ‘the supreme art is the art of living’.

Brebis transhumante is one of Lalanne’s most celebrated sculptures. Casted in bronze and in polished epoxy stone, this whimsical and elegant sculpture of a sheep has gained enduring popularity among every designer and art collector since the ‘60s. Les Lalanne’s art is now more coveted than ever, after both artists passed away in recent years. With pieces being installed in Chanel, Dior and Tom Ford flagship stores and major exhibitions being organized on their body of work, their legacy will continue to resonate.