How Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne Came to Dominate the Design World
Claude Lalanne shattered a design auction record when a suite of 15 gilt‑bronze mirrors sold for $33.5 million at Sotheby’s, surpassing her husband François‑Xavier Lalanne’s $31.4 million Hippopotame Bar sale. The milestone highlights the ascent of high‑end design objects into blue‑chip territory. Both artists, known collectively as Les Lalanne, have long blended whimsical natural motifs with functional sculpture, shaping a market that now values their work as collectible assets. Their enduring influence underscores a broader shift where art and design converge at the top of the auction block.
Monet’s Water Lilies Rule the World
Tate announced its 2027 programming, headlined by a blockbuster exhibition titled "Monet: Painting Time" slated to open in February 2028. The show will centre on Claude Monet’s iconic Nymphéas (Water Lilies) series, using the Musée Marmottan Monet’s 1914‑17 "Nymphéas" as...