CLAUDE LALANNE | Miroir de Tanger, unique, 1999

bronze and galvanic copper ; monogrammed CL, branded Lalanne, dated 99, numbered 1/1 and inscribed Y.S.L lower left

Commissioned by Yves Saint-Laurent to Claude Lalanne

Daniel Abadie, Lalanne(s), Paris, 2008, illustrated p. 284
Pierre Passebon, Jacques Grange, Paris, 2008, illustrated p. 64

Good overall condition. The gilt bronze and the galvanized copper with some overall tarnishing due to a light general oxidation. There are a few tiny vert-de-gris stains scattered, not visually distractive, and a significant vert-de-gris stain on the tip of the proper left bottom stem. Half of the leaves present with minute to small holes, as intended by the artist to perfectly mimic the aspect of leaves. The mirrored glass with some oxidation and scattered pitting to the silvering, not visible in the catalogue illustration.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The extraordinary friendship between the Lalannes, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé began in the 1960s. The two couples often met for long weekends in the countryside, where Saint Laurent and Bergé patiently acquired works by the Lalannes, reflecting the intimacy and unfailing esteem that would bind them decades to come. In 1965, François-Xavier Lalanne created a bar for Saint Laurent. The next year, Bergé published a review of his dear friends' exhibition at Alexandre Iolas Gallery in Combat magazine praising their innovative, imaginative work. In 1969, for his fall-winter collection, Saint Laurent invited Claude Lalanne to make metal castings of the female torso to adorn the bodices of his muslin dresses. Over time, acquisitions and special commissions grew as much as their friendship: a flock of wool sheep, mirrors for the music room, marble birds for the terrace, a duck table surtout with water lilies for the dining room, and finally a last mirror for the living room of Tangier.