Alberto Giacometti, a renowned Swiss artist and surrealist sculptor, revolutionized the world of arts and sculpture with his groundbreaking concepts. Influenced by cubism and surrealism, Giacometti’s creations were associated with the Existentialist movement, often depicting haunting and anguished human forms with elongated limbs. His works, such as the violent surrealist piece “Slaughtered Woman” and the open cage-like structure of “The Palace at 4 a.m.”, served as ideal expressions of existentialist pessimism. Recognized for his innovative plastic technique, Giacometti’s contributions to modern sculpture were honored with the grand prize for sculpture at the Venice Biennale. His final work, “Paris sans fin”, a collection of 150 lithographs, encapsulates his valuable memories of the places he had lived.
Quick Facts
- Died At Age: 64
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Annette Arm
- Father: Giovanni Giacometti
- Siblings: Bruno, Diego
- Born Country: Switzerland
- Artists
- Sculptors
- Died on: January 11, 1966
- Place of death: Chur, Switzerland
Childhood & Early Life
Alberto Giacometti was born in Borgonovo, which is presently a part of the Swiss municipality of Stampa, near the Italian border. He was the son of neo-impressionist painter Giovanni Giacometti. Giacometti attended Ecole des Beaux-Arts for art studies and in 1919, he took admission at the Ecole des Arts Industriels in Geneva. After three years, he went to Paris to attend the sculpting class of Antoine Bourdelle at the Academie de la Grande Chaumiere.
Career
In 1925, Giacometti started his first studio with his brother in Paris. During this period, he developed an interest in the surrealist movement and displayed his first surrealist sculptures at the Salon des Tuileries in 1927. He came in contact with artists like Picasso, Arp, Miro, and Ernst, as well as renowned writers like Prevert, Aragon, and Queneau. From 1935 to 1940, he focused on studying the human head and used his sister and artist Isabel Rawsthorne as his models. He created sculptures of Isabel with elongated limbs and sometimes as thin as nails.
In 1948, Giacometti’s first one-man show was organized by the Pierre Matisse Gallery in New York, where he presented his skinny figures. From 1958 to 1965, he created a series of 150 lithographs titled Paris sans fin. He also created a monumental sculpture for the Chase Manhattan Bank building in New York called “Grande femme debout I through IV”. Giacometti exhibited his works through various exhibitions across Europe and in 1965, he had an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Personal Life & Legacy
Giacometti got married to Annette Arm and passed away in Kantonsspital in Chur, Switzerland, due to heart disease and chronic bronchitis. The Alberto Giacometti-Stiftung, founded in Zurich in 1965, has a collection of his works. The Alberto et Annette Giacometti Foundation was created in 2003 to promote, preserve, and protect his works. Giacometti’s paintings were included in the Painting the Century 101 Portrait Masterpieces 1900-2000 exhibition held at the National Portrait Gallery in London. His work has been the subject of various exhibitions around the world.