Artists Series: Alberto Giacometti
By (Author) Lena Fritsch
Tate Publishing
Tate Publishing
1st July 2025
United Kingdom
General
Non Fiction
Sculpture
Paperback
80
Width 140mm, Height 197mm
A lively introduction to the life and work of Alberto Giacometti, whose unique style and innovative vision make him one of the most significant and internationally acclaimed sculptors of the post-war era.
Alberto Giacometti (1901-66) is best known for his elongated, wraithlike sculptures. Instantly recognisable and inescapably associated with the existentialist despair of his time, these unusual figures presented a vulnerable image of humanity in which a generation traumatised by the war recognised itself, but they also continue to remain intensely meaningful to contemporary society today.
This book is a key introduction to the life and work of Giacometti. It follows the story of his artistic evolution, from his first sketchbooks and paintings inspired by his father's colourful post-impressionist style to his formative experience with death that shaped his obsession with the subject throughout his career. Exploring the artist's move towards curious surrealist compositions and the emergence of his mature style, it celebrates the enduring power of one of the most internationally acclaimed sculptors of the post-war era.
Dr Lena Fritsch is the Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art at the Ashmolean Museum and teaches at the University of Oxford. She was previously at Tate Modern and co-curated their major Giacometti retrospective in 2017.