François-Xavier Lalanne (1927-2008), Oiseau bleu, bronze sculpture, monogrammed, dated and numbered 3/8, Lalanne stamp, 18x32x11 cm (excluding base) Provenance: Galerie Mitterrand, Paris, 13.12.1999 François-Xavier Lalanne (1927-2008), Blue Bird Francois-Xavier Lalanne is one of the undisputed masters of the 20th century, a visionary figure who revolutionised contemporary art by skilfully fusing sculpture, design and poetry. Through his animal works and surrealist furniture designs, he redefined the relationship between art and functionality, making him one of the most innovative and influential artists of his time. Oiseau bleu, a bronze sculpture created in 1995, is an iconic work by Lalanne. It stands out for its use of bright blue, a relatively rare colour in his work. This choice of colour is not insignificant: blue, which evokes the infinity of sky and sea, symbolises depth, lightness and poetry. It lends a dreamlike, surreal dimension to the work, while instilling a sense of flight. Blue is a rarity in Lalanne's work, which usually favours metallic patinas such as black or grey. In this sense, Oiseau bleu becomes an exceptional piece, where abstraction and the aesthetics of dreams meet a more fluid and natural representation of the subject. The sculpture remains true to the artist's signature, combining poetry and pragmatism, a perfect fusion of the functional and the fantastic. Lalanne's work is part of a period of artistic maturity in the 1990s, when he refined his style, favouring pure forms and bold chromatic choices. In 1995, he explored new patinas and shades, and Oiseau bleu is a perfect illustration of this phase when the artist mixed technique and abstraction, while remaining faithful to his own world.