Di Donna Galleries in New York will present a major exhibition titled “Magritte and Les Lalanne: In the Mind’s Garden,” opening October 8, 2025, in collaboration with London-based Ben Brown Fine Arts. The show features over 50 works—paintings, works on paper, and sculptures—by Belgian Surrealist René Magritte and French sculptors François-Xavier Lalanne and Claude Lalanne, including rare loans from private collectors and the Lalanne estate. Highlights include Magritte’s *L’ami intime* (1958), which sold for £33.66 million at Christie’s, and François-Xavier Lalanne’s *Hippopotame I* (1968/1998) and “Sauterelle” Bar (1970).
The exhibition matters because it is the first to directly juxtapose Magritte’s surrealist paintings with the whimsical, nature-inspired sculptures of Les Lalannes, revealing a shared sensibility championed by legendary gallerist Alexander Iolas in the 1960s. It also underscores the enduring market strength for all three artists even amid a sluggish art market, as evidenced by recent high-profile sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s. The show’s rapid assembly, driven by gallerist Emmanuel Di Donna’s deep knowledge of Magritte’s market and Ben Brown’s long relationship with the Lalanne family, highlights how curated dialogues between historic and modern surrealist works can attract both seasoned collectors and new audiences.