Flocks of Mouton de Pierre, or sheep, by the late François-Xavier Lalanne are much in demand. At Phillips de Pury on 15 June, a set of four painted epoxy stone and patinated bronze sheep made for the garden sold for $746,500 (est $350,000-$500,000). “Six bidders from Europe, Asia and North America chased them,” Alexander Payne, a specialist at Phillips, said of the set (above), which comprised three ewes and one ram, dating from 1996-99 and made in an edition of 250. That price pales in comparison with the record $7.5m paid at Christie’s on 17 December 2011 for a set of 10 sheep (est $600,000-$900,000). As to where those sheep will now graze, Carina Villinger, a specialist at Christie’s, says: “The buyer was not an American.” The exhibition “Les Lalannes” at Paul Kasmin gallery, which ended on 16 June, helped to drive interest. “This is one of his most iconic subjects,” Kasmin says.
Originally appeared in The Art Newspaper as 'Collectors flock to Lalanne sheep'
