François-Xavier Lalanne’s Agneau is a demure and diminutive lamb and encapsulates the artist’s philosophy with charm and grace, making it a quintessential piece in his celebrated oeuvre.

Lalanne’s fascination with animals began in the mid-1960s, leading to one of his most iconic works, Pour Polyphéme (1966). This installation, shown at the Salon de la Jeune Peinture in Paris’ Musée d'Art Moderne, featured a flock of 24 white sheep and 4 black sheep, scattered across a gallery floor. Not only were the sheep visually captivating, but they also provided a functional element – viewers were encouraged to sit or recline upon them.

The Agneau, introduced in the 1990s as part of an evolving series, reflects Lalanne’s ongoing exploration of the pastoral theme. Following the addition of a ram to his menagerie, Lalanne created the lamb, a softer, more innocent counterpoint to the imposing figure of the ram. As the smallest and most mischievous of the flock, the Agneau stands as a testament to Lalanne’s unique ability to inject personality into his work. Unlike traditional sculpture, which is typically static and untouchable, Agneau invites interaction, offering both visual delight and comfort in its playful form.

Drawing inspiration from the Surrealist movement and his contemporaries, such as Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, Lalanne sought to challenge the boundaries of art and utility. His sheep, like the Agneau, were conceived not just as decorative sculptures but as functional objects, capable of inhabiting the domestic space. He once quipped, “It is, after all, easier to have a sculpture in an apartment than to have a real sheep. And, it’s even better if you can sit on it.” This tongue-in-cheek practicality is at the heart of his work – sculptures that provoke thought, inspire joy, and offer a tangible connection to art.

Lalanne’s sheep also serve as a reference to Homer’s Odyssey, specifically the tale of Ulysses’ escape from the Cyclops Polyphemus. In this daring passage, Ulysses and his men evade capture by clinging to the bellies of giant sheep. Through this mythical allusion, Lalanne imbues his work with a sense of narrative history, blending the classical with the contemporary.

Lalanne’s works remind us of a world where the ordinary transforms into the magical, as if we are indeed living on “some other planet,” one where the animals might just be watching us as closely as we are watching them.