Claude Lalanne, ‘Ginkgo’ dining suite (2000)
The Collection of Baron Diego von Buch, Christie’s, London, 5 June
Estimate: £700,000 to £1.05m for full set
The first complete set of Claude Lalanne’s beloved ‘Ginkgo’ dining suite is coming to market this month. Consisting of a dining table, six chairs, four armchairs and a bench across four lots, the distinctive shape of the fan-like leaves is believed to have been inspired by the flora surrounding Lalanne’s home in Ury, France, like the imagery of much of her whimsical work. The 12-piece dining set has a rare green-painted finish and comes to market from the collection of Baron von Buch, who died in 2023 following a long career in finance after training as an engineer. The market for Claude’s work and that of her husband and frequent collaborator, François-Xavier Lalanne, has seen a steep rise in the past few years. Les Lalannes, as they are known together, are a mainstay at auctions and art fairs across the world. Claude’s auction record was set in 2023 when her bronze cabbage, Très grand choupatte, pièce unique (2008), fetched $5.26m with fees at Sotheby’s Paris.
Thomas Daniell and William Daniell, A gate leading to a mosque at Chunargarh, Uttar Pradesh, 1797 Courtesy Dreweatts
Thomas Daniell and William Daniell, A gate leading to a mosque at Chunargarh, Uttar Pradesh (1797)
Old Master, British and European Art, Dreweatts, London, 11 June
Estimate: £100,000 to £150,000
Thomas Daniell (1749-1840) and his nephew William Daniell (1769-1837) were two of the first British artists to visit India, and the sketches and drawings they brought back were among the earliest representations of Indian monuments seen in England. While the Daniells’ work was created for colonial audiences, their romantic images of 18th-century India have caught the attention of Indian collectors, Dreweatts says, as the country’s economy and art market continue to strengthen. In June 2024, Dreweatts set a world record for a work on paper by the Daniells when it sold Dusasumade Gaut, Benares for £300,000 with fees, against a £30,000-£50,000 estimate. The pencil and watercolour work on sale in June depicts the Chunar Fort in Uttar Pradesh in Northern India.
Alberto Giacometti, Lampadaire Tête de femme (around 1933-34) © Artcurial
Alberto Giacometti, Lampadaire Tête de femme (around 1933-34)
Philippe Dennery Collection, Artcurial, Paris, 6 June
Estimate: €150,000 to €250,000
This bronze floor lamp belonged to Philippe Dennery, a scientist and entrepreneur whose collection is being auctioned this year in Paris. The figurative work recalls the forms of Giacometti’s bronzes Standing Woman and Walking Man, according to Artcurial, which notes that all three were likely inspired by the ancient Etruscan portrayals of the human figure that Giacometti was so drawn to. “The floor lamps and lamps by the Giacometti brothers are unique in that they are both standalone works of art and functional everyday objects,” Bruno Jaubert, Artcurial’s director of Impressionist and Modern art, said in a statement. “It serves a practical function in a home: it is a lamp that illuminates—both physically and metaphorically—the daily life of its owner.”
Krishna Kanwal, The Dalai Lama on the throne on 22 February 1940 (1940) Courtesy of Bonhams
Krishna Kanwal, The Dalai Lama on the throne on 22 February 1940 (1940)
The Collection and Archive of Sir Basil Gould, Bonhams, London, 4 June
Estimate: £150,000 to £200,000
Basil Gould was a British diplomat who attended the enthronement of the 14th Dalai Lama in Lhasa, Tibet in 1940. Tenzin Gyatso was recognised as the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism just before he turned five years old after a series of spiritual tests to identify the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama. Gould described the child as having a presence and wisdom beyond his years that left a lasting impression on all attendants of the enthronement ceremony at Norbulingka Palace, according to Bonhams. The portrait by the early Indian Modern artist Krishna Kanwal shows the Dalai Lama during his enthronement ceremony and remained in Gould’s private collection for years. Kanwal was among the first artists to depict life in remote Tibet, and received rare permission to attend and record the enthronement.