Diego Giacometti

Acquired directly from the artist by Christopher Chodoff, New York
Thence by descent to his partner Maurey Green, New York
DeLorenzo Gallery, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner, 2013

Michel Butor, Diego Giacometti, Paris, 1985, pp. 53 and 98
Françoise Francisci, Diego Giacometti, Catalogue de l'oeuvre, vol. I, Paris, 1986, pp. 40-41
Daniel Marchesseau, Diego Giacometti, Paris, 2005, pp. 59-61
Daniel Marchesseau, Diego Giacometti: Sculpteur de Meubles, Paris, 2018, pp. 182-183

Over the course of 50 years, Diego Giacometti created a whimsical and poetic universe comprising animals, magnificent flora and mythological creatures fleshed out in bronze and plaster. A superb addition to his artistic cosmos, the "Dompteuse" table lamps use the motif of an animal tamer as the main figurative theme constituting the base. The female figure is accompanied by a falcon on her shoulder together with an owl, a leopard and a frog, all of which are recurring leitmotifs commonly found in his sculpted works. In many ways, the design itself is a reflection on Giacometti's very own work, an exploration of the relationship between nature and nurture and the complementarity of the human and animal realms. One of his most figurative and sculptural lighting designs, the present lot provides Giacometti collectors with an exceptional opportunity to acquire a complementary pair of this particularly rare model.