A set of 15 bronze and copper mirrors by Claude Lalanne sold for $33.5 million at Sotheby's in New York, shattering the artist's previous auction record and surpassing the record price for works by her late husband and collaborator, François-Xavier Lalanne. The ensemble, which far exceeded its $15 million high estimate, drew fierce competition from five bidders over ten minutes.
The sale signals a significant shift in the market for the artistic duo known as Les Lalanne. Historically, François-Xavier's larger-scale works commanded higher prices, but this monumental set by Claude, originally commissioned by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, has leveled the playing field. The mirrors' prestigious provenance and status as a major unified interior ensemble contributed to the record-breaking result, highlighting growing collector enthusiasm for both collaborative and individual works by the Lalannes.