FREITAG, 4. APRIL 2025 
Letourneur, Father and Son: A “White Glove” Sale Celebrating a Century of Creation
N early two hundred works retracing the history of a remarkable family workshop went under the hammer in a highly successful sale held by Crait Müller on 4 April.
Founded by René Letourneur and later taken over by his son Jean, the studio spanned the 20th century, blending tradition with formal experimentation. Unsurprisingly, it was René — the father and founder — who drew the most interest from collectors: his sculptures, the most numerous, were also the most sought-after.
Every lot found a buyer — a rare feat in the field of sculpture — and several pieces exceeded their estimates by a wide margin. The top result was achieved by a Reclining Nude from 1988, which sold for €12,900. The piece is a late expression of a theme dear to the artist since the 1920s: the reclining figure supported by one arm. That same formal inspiration runs through other highly contested works, including La Nuit II (€6,450), La Vague (€7,482), and La Femme-Enfant (€2,322), the latter cast more recently.
Institutions also took part: the City of Alençon acquired an original plaster of La Victoire (€5,031), a preparatory study for the town’s war memorial.
Every lot found a buyer — a rare feat in the field of sculpture — and several pieces exceeded their estimates by a wide margin. The top result was achieved by a Reclining Nude from 1988, which sold for €12,900. The piece is a late expression of a theme dear to the artist since the 1920s: the reclining figure supported by one arm. That same formal inspiration runs through other highly contested works, including La Nuit II (€6,450), La Vague (€7,482), and La Femme-Enfant (€2,322), the latter cast more recently.
Institutions also took part: the City of Alençon acquired an original plaster of La Victoire (€5,031), a preparatory study for the town’s war memorial.
