Diego Giacometti
"Cerf et Renard" Console
Authenticity guarantee
What is guaranteed?
Property from an Important American Collection
Diego Giacometti
"Cerf et Renard" Console
circa 1972
patinated bronze, original marble top
31½ x 48 x 20½ in. (80 x 121.9 x 52.1 cm)
Overall in very good condition. One of the very few consoles made by Diego Giacometti throughout his career, the present example also represents one of his most accomplished and sculptural works. Superbly proportioned, the console features on the central railing a stag as it walks toward a fox seated under a nearby tree. Adding to the sense of naturalism of the piece is the artist’s use of a beautiful and complex patina which, when viewed firsthand, presents with an overall dark russet brown coloration with hints of green throughout. The bronze surfaces are in excellent condition overall with very minor irregularities inherent to production and to the artist’s practice. The recessed areas with some extremely minimal soiling and oxidation, not visible unless closely inspected. The console retains its original marble top, which presents with superb veining and color ranging from dark and emerald green to Carrara white. The marble presents with some very fine hairlines inherent to the stone selection which appear stable, as well as occasional fine scratches and minute edge abrasions consistent with gentle use. This exceptional and rare work is further enhanced by its esteemed provenance and the intimate history that it tells of the Giacometti family, which distinguish the present “Cerf et Renard” Console as an incomparable masterpiece by the Swiss designer. A custom clear glass top will be provided to the buyer in addition to the original marble top.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Private Collection
Galerie L'Arc en Seine, Paris
Acquired from the above by the present owner, 2010
Daniel Marchesseau, Diego Giacometti, Paris, 1986, p. 92 (for the present lot illustrated)
Daniel Marchesseau, Diego Giacometti: Sculpteur de Meubles, Paris, 2018, p. 119 (for the present lot illustrated)
At the time, Alberto’s younger brother Diego worked closely with him in the studio as an assistant and became equally well-acquainted with the writer. In addition to casting Alberto’s pieces, Diego had begun to develop his own oeuvre of sculpture and design, which Lord described as “some of the handsomest contemporary furniture.” A year after the book’s publication by the Museum of Modern Art, Alberto passed away. Lord spent the next two decades writing a fitting biography for the artist with the valued input and support of Diego, who helped the author “just as selflessly as he always helped Albert.” Lord’s preface acknowledges just how highly he thought of Diego, describing him as “a man whose nobility of spirit and indomitable forbearance were quite as legendary as his brother’s.”
The present “Cerf et Renard” Console, executed circa 1972 for Lord, is a profound testament to their friendship. Superbly proportioned, the console features a stag as it walks toward a fox seated under a nearby tree. Their attenuated bodies evoke a sense of motion and anticipation, exemplifying the designer’s keen ability to capture animal motifs from his bestiary. Giacometti enhanced the dynamism and texture of the scene with a beautifully nuanced patina, which is further complemented by its original richly veined marble top. Such a masterful example of Giacometti's bronze work would have surely been a treasured gift for Lord, and a letter from his son attests that he kept the console in his Paris apartment on the Rue des Beaux-Arts. The esteemed provenance and the intimate history it tells of the Giacometti family distinguish the present “Cerf et Renard” Console as an incomparable masterpiece by the Swiss designer.