Giacometti: Pure Presence

About this book

Taking its title from Jean-Paul Sartre who described Giacomettis endeavor to give "sensible expression" to "pure presence " this book explores the artists work in relation to existentialist ideas. Spanning painting sculpture drawing and printmaking Giacomettis oeuvre ranges from surrealist objects to images of the human figure with portraits of particular individuals at the center. This book looks at the various phases of the artists career and explores in detail his depiction of his main sitters including his mother; Diego his brother; his wife Annette; Jean Genet the playwright; Caroline a prostitute; and his friends Yanaihara and Lotar. Early drawings paintings and sculptures of family members and his own image demonstrate Giacomettis awareness of Post-Impressionist and Divisionist styles. From 1946 Giacometti resumed painting and depicting individuals became central to his work. After 1954 when he began making sculpture from life his portraits expressed a dialogue between painting and sculpture.