François-Xavier Lalanne

Conceived in 1996 and cast in 2002. This work is EA 4/4 from an edition of 8 plus 4 EA.

A serene yet commanding presence, Grande Carpe (1996/2002) encapsulates François-Xavier Lalanne’s masterful ability to transform the animal world into objects of poetic refinement. Lalanne first modeled the design of a carp in 1972 and returned to the theme repeatedly through his career. With its streamlined silhouette and lustrous gilt bronze surface, Grande Carpe captures the quiet elegance of the carp while alluding to its rich symbolic heritage. Its gently inflated body and fluid contours reflect Lalanne’s commitment to purity of line and form, evoking not only the poised simplicity of modernist animalier traditions but also the serene repose of relics from Ancient Egypt and Assyria—a sensibility he developed during his early work in the Oriental Antiquities department of the Louvre. The carp holds particular resonance in East Asian tradition, where, according to Chinese legend, it swims upstream and leaps the Dragon Gate to be transformed into a dragon—a parable of perseverance and transformation. This particular example, conceived in 1996, exemplifies Lalanne’s ability to reimagine familiar fauna as timeless, almost mythical presences, fusing natural elegance, cultural symbolism, and his singular sculptural wit.