S otheby’s is proud to unveil The Schlumberger Collection, a landmark assemblage that spans centuries, styles, and continents — reflecting both the dynastic heritage of the Schlumberger family and Anne Schlumberger’s visionary eye as a collector, patron, and champion of modern art and design.
At its heart lies a historic commission: François-Xavier Lalanne’s Hippopotame Bar (1976) — the first and only example ever executed in copper, and the precursor to his later bronze editions. The collection also includes unique works by Claude Lalanne, such as the family’s Les Portes du Jardin and Anemone Balustrade Elements, as well as Salvador Dalí’s Swirling Sea Necklace and Claude Monet’s Vue de Rouen, painted at the dawn of his celebrated Rouen Cathedral series.
From Anne Schlumberger’s homes in Houston to the South of France, these masterpieces reveal a singular vision where art, architecture, and Surrealism existed in harmony.
The collection will be presented globally through a series of Sotheby’s exhibitions and sales from 2025 to 2026, beginning with highlights in Paris and Hong Kong, followed by major auctions in New York, including Monet’s Vue de Rouen depuis la côte Sainte-Catherine in the Modern Evening Sale (20 November) and Lalanne’s Hippopotame Bar in Sotheby’s Important Design sale in December.
