Alberto Giacometti
(1901–)
(–1966)
Alberto Giacometti
1901–1966
Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) was a Swiss sculptor, printmaker, and painter who was heavily influenced by Cubism and Surrealism, yet he developed a unique artistic style that is difficult to classify. His sculptures, prints, and paintings explored philosophical ideas such as existentialism and phenomenological debates. Both his sculptures and his paintings were figurative, using increasingly narrow and elongated forms.
Giacometti was born in Borgonovo, Switzerland, to Giovanni Giacometti (a post-impressionist painter) and Annetta Giacometti-Stampa. In 1919, Giacometti went to Geneva to study sculpture and painting. Afterwards, he travelled to Italy where he saw the works of Jacopo Tintoretto and Giotto and gained knowledge and inspiration from the Egyptian art on view at a local archaeological museum. He then studied in Paris under Antoine Bourdelle at the Académie de la Grand Chaumière from 1922 to 1925. He married Annette Arm in 1949 after seeking refuge in Switzerland during the Second World War.
Heavily influenced by the Cubist and Surrealist movements, Giacometti’s sculptures, prints, and paintings dealt with various philosophical ideas such as existentialism and phenomenological debates. However, in 1935, he left Surrealism behind to explore figurative composition in his artwork. He recorded his thoughts and insecurities in diaries, and these doubts were a powerful drive for his artistic practice.
From 1938 to 1944, his sculptures shrunk to an almost minuscule size of approximately seven centimeters (2.75 inches) tall. At this time, it seemed that by attempting to sculpt his model from memory, he inadvertently caused their size to decrease significantly. After World War Two, Giacometti began producing his popular large-scale sculptures. As the figures grew in size, they became increasingly thin. His paintings underwent a similar process. They were constantly being reworked, leading to a diminutive effect on the figures.
The Chase Manhattan Bank in New York commissioned a monumental project from Giacometti in 1958, resulting in the largest sculptures he ever attempted. However, he ultimately abandoned the commission as he was consistently dissatisfied with the results and how the pieces fit into the intended display site. In 1962, he received the grand prize at the Venice Biennale for his sculptural contribution, giving him international notoriety. In his later years, many of his sculptures were exhibited at major institutions in Europe, and in 1965, he traveled to the Museum of Modern Art in New York to see an exhibition of his artworks. His work has been collected by institutions internationally. On January 11, 1966, Alberto Giacometti died from heart disease in Chur, Switzerland.