- 12
Alberto Giacometti
Description
- Alberto Giacometti
- Figurine sur grand socle
- signed A. Giacometti, numbered 1/6 and inscribed with the foundry mark Alexis Rudier. Fondeur. Paris
- painted bronze
- height: 27.9cm.
- 11in.
Provenance
Frank Stanton, Boston, Massachusetts (sold: Christie's, New York, 7th May 2008, lot 423)
Purchased at the above sale
Literature
Palma Bucarelli, Giacometti, Rome, 1962, no. 69, illustration of another cast (as dating from 1956)
Franz Meyer, Alberto Giacometti visto por los fotógrafos, Madrid, 1990, another cast illustrated in a photograph p. 76
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Figurine sur grand socle is distinguished for the dramatic difference in scale between the thin, elongated female form, and the large, solid base from which the figure rises. Valerie Fletcher wrote: 'Giacometti sought to grasp the entirety of his subject, usually a bust or standing figure. To convey that sense of wholeness, he portrayed each as if seen from afar. Thus the disproportionately large bases were intended to create the illusion that the figures are located at a distance, where they appear small and indistinct, yet retain a sense of reality' (V. Fletcher in Alberto Giacometti (exhibition catalogue), Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., 1988, p. 118). To further enhance the sense of sublimated realism Giacometti cold-painted the present cast. This process, which subtly highlights the hair and distinguishes the figure from its over-sized base, was a particular feature of a number of his smaller scaled bronzes and it reinforces the importance place they occupy in his work.