Converting an inflatable lobster into delicate porcelain might have seemed unlikely, yet Bernardaud teamed with Jeff Koons to create this one-of-a-kind piece. The partnership spotlights the lobster as a cultural and culinary emblem and presents Koons’s playful vision in sumptuous porcelain.. Meticulously produced in Bernardaud’s workshops under stringent quality standards, the finished pieces unite remarkable visual appeal with enduring robustness.
From Inflatable to Icon: The Popeye Series and Versailles
The origins of this piece are rooted in art history. In Jeff Koons’ distinguished Popeye series, lobsters regularly appear as motifs representing the comic-book hero and his associated themes of self-acceptance and transcendence.
At Versailles in 2008, Koons was struck by the château’s pictorial splendors and by the luxurious tableware, where he encountered the refined centerpieces of royal dining. In 2016, Christie’s auctioned a lobster from this collection for $6,885,000.
Inspired by the find, Koons partnered with Bernardaud to realize the bold concept of translating his emblematic Lobster into a groundbreaking centerpiece that marries art and utility.
Technical Mastery: 18 Components of Porcelain Perfection
Built from 18 removable components — 13 of them camouflaged inside the claws, tail and under-shell — Lobster demanded close to eight years of development and prolonged collaboration with Jeff Koons. The initiative engaged the workshop’s complete technical proficiency to solve molding, assembly, and design challenges—maximizing compartment efficiency, replicating the inflatable’s red enamel precisely, and faithfully upholding the artist’s visual style
Dimensions and Collector Availability
Dimensions: 26 x 85 x 59 cm (10.24 x 33.46 x 23.23 in)
Listed at $95,000, this vivid crustacean is aimed at committed collectors in the niche and includes a Certificate of Authenticity personally signed by the artist.
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