François-Xavier Lalanne

François-Xavier Lalanne (1927- 2008), was a french sculptor whose work has almost always been presented alongside his wife’s, Claude. From the 1950s onward, the Lalanne developed parallel artistic paths, united by a surrealist imagination rich in humor and poetry, yet distinct in style and technique: more architectural and rigorous for François-Xavier, more organic and baroque for Claude. Famous for his works halfway between sculpture and functional objects, such as animal-inspired furniture, François-Xavier Lalanne believed that art could also serve a practical purpose. Initially trained as a painter, he later turned to sculpture, exhibiting in major international venues.