Histoires Naturelles. Dation François-xavier Et Claude Lalanne

Following the death of Claude Lalanne in 2019, nearly eleven years after François-Xavier’s passing in 2008, the Lalanne family proposed to the French State an ensemble of artworks by their parents, presented in this exhibition, in acceptance in Lieu of death tax duties. Under French law, artworks that represent an important national heritage may be accepted by the State in payment of succession taxes: one names them dations. In the past, such dations have permitted the heirs of important artists such as Pablo Picasso to settle their inheritance. In Picasso’s case, the family’s dation led to the creation of the Musée Picasso in Paris. Thanks to the present dation, the national collections are now enriched of 54 works – 16 sculptures and 38 drawings – representative of the work of Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne.