Claude Lalanne

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, VA
Sotheby's New York, December 9, 2005, lot 35
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Daniel Marchesseau, Les Lalanne, Paris, 1998, p. 56
Catherine Loewer, ed., Claude et François-Xavier Lalanne: Fragments, 2000, p. 91

Overall in very good original condition. The works executed for the Gardens at Colonial Williamsburg were used around an outdoor garden and therefore the patination and exposure to the elements have slightly impacted the patination throughout. The coloration in the auction catalogue is correct for these two works. This pair of chairs displays a beautiful blue green patination that was original to the works. Each of the chairs with minor irregularities in the finish and production which were inherent in the making. The two chairs on offer in this lot were paired in the original offering in 2005 because of the similarities in the color of the patina, and remain similar in tone today. With some scattered surface dirt and rubbing to the patina, consistent with age, use and exposure to the elements. Some minor rubbing to the finish at the terminal knob at the top of the proper right backrest, consistent with handling. An incredibly sculptural and detailed design.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Designed in 1984 and completed in 1986, the Lila Acheson Garden at Colonial Williamsburg represents the largest commission in the United States executed by François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne.  Claude Lalanne’s naturalistic furniture designs for the garden evoke an elegant mixture of both local and distant tranquil landscapes.  The chair designs include silhouettes of local birds, including the cardinal, the state bird of Virginia.  The leaves and tendrils selected as the foundation of the designs were inspired by the Fontainebleau forest near the Lalannes’ home.

In 2004, as a result of an expansion of the museum, the Lila Acheson Garden was closed, and the entire commission was offered a year later at Sotheby’s in New York.  The following five lots represent a portion of the designs from this rare and breathtaking outdoor commission by the artists.