Sales results for April 28th & 29th, 2024

The "Little bear" of François-Xavier Lalanne
Sold 267000€ (hammer price)

The first of three major events of the year organised by Besch Cannes Auction, the spring sale once again offered a wide range of quality works, including a ‘Little Bear, circa 1996’ that fetched 267000€ (hammer price - Lot 122) by François-Xavier Lalanne, renowned worldwide for the beauty and originality of his works.

Sheep and bears... François-Xavier Lalanne (1927-2008) helped make these animals famous through his figurative work. Enthralled by the work of Constantin Brancusi, whose studio he set up in Impasse Ronsin in Montparnasse, and admiring the work of the animal sculptor Pompon, he gave up painting very early on to devote himself to sculpture. Atypical and unclassifiable, he gave his creations a new scope thanks to a non-conformist and desacralised approach to his art, even going so far as to give it a purpose. From now on, you don't just admire a work of art. You touch it, you sit on it, you eat and drink it, you lie on it or you wear it like a trophy or a piece of jewellery. A whole world dedicated to decorative art, for which many collectors, and not the least, were enthusiastic, such as Yves Saint Laurent, or the Rothschilds and the Noailles, who were among the first to recognise his talent ; allowing hordes of animals, sometimes wild, to take over gardens and living rooms, including bears!

In a decidedly different style, an oil on canvas, Le rivage de Trouville, by Eugène BOUDIN (1824-1898) was also on show. Considered one of the greatest Norman painters and a precursor of Impressionism, Boudin's interpretation of nature was always admirably balanced, as illustrated by this canvas dated 1874 (sold for 120650€ - Lot 111).

Considered one of the most famous French painters, Pierre-Auguste RENOIR (1841-1919) belongs to the Impressionist movement, which emerged in the second half of the 19th century and favoured subjects drawn from everyday life (as evidence of that era). It was a movement that encouraged painters to leave their studios and practice their art in the open air. Renoir, who preferred portraiture, nonetheless shared this approach to painting, which allowed him to give his canvases a freshness and infuse his subjects with a sense of life ; This is demonstrated by ‘Coco in Profile, 1901-1902’, an oil on canvas monogrammed in the lower right and acquired by Ambroise Vollard from the artist in 1909 (sold for 62865€ - lot 117) and an oil on canvas ‘Tête de jeune fille, circa 1906’ (sold for 37600€ - lot 79).

Prices included 50800€ for an oil on canvas Village en Île de France, circa 1885 by Armand GUILLAUMIN (1841-1927) (lot 93), 37975€ for an oil on canvas Composition, 1920 by Léopold SURVAGE (1879-1968) (lot 114) and 38355€ for a bronze with an antique green patina, based on the artist's original plaster Tête de cheval, circa 1965 by Diego GIACOMETTI (1902-1985) (lot 94) or 31750€ for an oil on panel Venise, embarcadère du Palais Ducal, 1880 by Félix ZIEM (1821-1911).

This sale has been followed on April Monday 29th at 2pm by the sale of important diamonds, Haute Joaillerie & signed jewellery and prestige watches, some of which bear prestigious signatures, including the iconic ‘ZINNIAS’ platinum and gold clip with two bouquets by Van Cleef & Arpels. The petals are set with 70 bright red rubies, probably of unmodified Burmese origin, totalling around 34 carats, each centred with a brilliant-cut diamond of around 0,80 carat, in addition to 5,50 carats of graduated calibrated and brilliant-cut diamonds covering the stems and foliage, bringing the total to more than 7 carats of exceptional diamonds. (Sold for 104140€)

There is also a superb ‘Ruban Bombé’ bracelet, also by Van Cleef & Arpels, with curved articulated links in platinum and gold, from the ‘Blanche haute joaillerie’ collection, entirely set with approximately 32 carats of extra-white diamonds. Signed and numbered (Sold 101600€ - Lot 148). A large rectangular cut sapphire weighing approx. 16,20 carats set with old-cut, 8/8 and baguette-cut calibrated diamonds completes this set (Sold 48250€ - lot 159).

BESCH CANNES AUCTION Maître Jean-Pierre BESCH, Commissaire-priseur habilité SVV n° 2002-034 Sis Résidence Grand Hôtel - 45, Boulevard de la Croisette, 06400 Cannes - Tel: 33 (0)4 93 99 22 60 - 33 (0)4 93 99 33 49 - Fax: 33 (0)4 93 99 30 03 - besch@cannesauction.com - www.cannesauction.com

Press contact : Isabelle de Puysegur - Tel : 33(0)6 60 57 58 78 - i.puysegur@wanadoo.fr