Alberto Giacometti
(1901–1966)
Alberto Giacometti was a Swiss sculptor, painter, and draftsman, known for his distinctive elongated figures that evoke feelings of isolation and existential angst. Born in Borgonovo, Switzerland, Giacometti was introduced to art at an early age by his father, a Post-Impressionist painter. He moved to Paris in 1922, where he studied under sculptor Antoine Bourdelle and became involved with the Surrealist movement. Giacometti’s work gradually evolved towards his iconic style, characterized by slender, elongated sculptures that explore themes of the human condition and the void. His best-known works, such as Walking Man and The Nose, express the tension between presence and absence, as well as the fragility of human existence.
Giacometti’s career was marked by an intense focus on the representation of the human figure, which he repeatedly revisited throughout his life. His work was closely associated with existentialist philosophy, particularly through his friendship with Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, who viewed his art as an expression of existential themes.
Giacometti's work continues to be celebrated worldwide. Recent exhibitions of his work include Giacometti at the Guggenheim Museum in New York (2018) and Alberto Giacometti: Toward the Ultimate Figure at the Cleveland Museum of Art (2022). His sculptures and paintings are held in prominent public collections such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Tate Modern in London, and the Fondation Giacometti in Paris, preserving his legacy as a pioneering figure in 20th-century art.
