François-Xavier Lalanne and Kazuhide Takahama “Rhinocéros” Room Divider, 1971
Description
François-Xavier Lalanne and Kazuhide Takahama “Rhinocéros” five-panelled screen room divider, from the ‘Ultramobile’ series, for Gavina, wood, 1971
François-Xavier Lalanne (1927–2008), the celebrated French artist and sculptor, designed this five-panel separé in 1971 in collaboration with Kazuhide Takahama for Gavina’s “Ultramobile” series. Made of lacquered and serigraph-printed plywood with rubber elements, it embodies Lalanne’s fusion of conceptual art and functional design. A linear rhinoceros drawing, accented with orange and green, emerges against a black lacquered surface that mimics the texture of paper, adding lightness and depth.
More than a room divider, it is a sculptural tableau—a surreal dialogue between movement and stillness. Takahama’s architectural discipline meets Lalanne’s poetic bestiary, pushing furniture beyond modernist constraints. Rhinocéros challenges the passive role of design, engaging space and imagination with symbolic intensity.
Lalanne studied at the Julian Academy before turning from painting to sculpture in 1952, after meeting Claude Dupeux, his future wife and creative partner. Together, they created a whimsical bestiary that charmed collectors like Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. Lalanne’s work, marked by wit and elegance, remains a timeless icon of 20th-century art.
We accurately check the quality of every object. Our in-house expert craftsmen carefully reviewed the item.
Dimensions
Height: 86.62 in (220 cm)
Width: 88.59 in (225 cm)
Depth: 0.79 in (2 cm)
Design
1971
Manufacture
1970-1979
Material
wood
Condition
We accurately check the quality of every object. Our in-house expert craftsmen carefully reviewed the item.