Giacometti, Composition, Derrière le miroir (after)

1957

This exquisite etching after Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966), titled Nu de Profil (Nude in Profile), from the folio Derriere le miroir, 10 Ans d'Edition 1946-1956, No. 92-93, originates from the 1956 edition published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, and printed by Atelier Crommelynck, Paris, 1956. This work exemplifies Giacometti’s mastery of line and existential sensitivity, capturing the fragility, grace, and introspection that define his vision of the human form. Executed as an etching, cuivre rayé apres tirage on velin paper, this work measures 15 x 11 inches overall; 12.2 x 2.17 inches image size. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the superb craftsmanship of Atelier Crommelynck, Paris. Artwork Details: Artist: After Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) Title: Nu de Profil (Nude in Profile), from the folio Derriere le miroir, 10 Ans d'Edition 1946-1956, No. 92-93 Medium: Etching, cuivre rayé apres tirage on velin paper Dimensions: 15 x 11 inches, overall; 12.2 x 2.17 inches, image size (38.1 x 27.94 cm; 31 x 5.5 cm) Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1956 Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris Printer: Atelier Crommelynck, Paris Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the folio Derriere le miroir, 10 Ans d'Edition 1946-1956, No. 92-93, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris; printed by Atelier Crommelynck, Paris, 1956 Notes: Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), This catalogue, forming a special issue of Derriere le miroir, was completed in October 1956 on the presses of Draeger Freres on behalf of Aime Maeght, Editeur. The original lithographs of Miro, Chagall and Bazaine were shot by Mourlot Freres. The eaux-fortes rayees of Miro and Giacometti were shot by Crommelynck. Raoul Ubac composed and pulled the engraved wood from the cover. The photographs of Braque's reproduced works are by Mr. Routhier. Those of the other artists of Y. Hervochon. About the Publication: Derriere le miroir (Behind the Mirror) was one of the most important art publications of the 20th century, created and published by Maeght Editeur in Paris from 1946 to 1982. Founded by the visionary art dealer and publisher Aime Maeght, the series served as both an exhibition catalogue and a work of art in its own right, uniting original lithographs by leading modern and contemporary artists with critical essays, poetry, and design of the highest quality. Printed by master lithographers such as Mourlot Freres and Arte, Derriere le miroir became synonymous with the artistic vanguard of postwar Europe. Each issue was devoted to a single artist or theme and published to accompany exhibitions at the Galerie Maeght in Paris, featuring works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, and Alberto Giacometti, among others. The publication reflected Maeght's belief that art should be both accessible and elevated—an ideal realized through its luxurious production values, meticulous printing, and collaboration with the greatest creative minds of its time. About the Artist: Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) was a Swiss sculptor, painter, and draughtsman whose hauntingly elongated figures and existential vision redefined modern art and made him one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Born in Borgonovo, Switzerland, into an artistic family—his father, Giovanni Giacometti, was a noted Post-Impressionist—he was immersed in art from an early age before studying in Geneva and moving to Paris in 1922, where he became part of the city’s avant-garde alongside Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray. In the 1920s and 1930s, Giacometti explored Cubism and Surrealism, creating symbolic and dreamlike sculptures such as Suspended Ball (1930–31) and The Palace at 4 A.M. (1932), which reflected the influence of Dali, Duchamp, and Man Ray. By the 1940s, he abandoned Surrealism to pursue a deeply personal exploration of the human condition, developing his iconic attenuated figures that embodied both fragility and resilience. His signature sculptures—L’Homme qui marche I (Walking Man I), Femme debout, and Le Chariot—expressed the isolation, endurance, and vulnerability of modern existence, echoing the existential philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Giacometti’s figures, stripped of mass yet monumental in spirit, symbolized humanity’s search for meaning in a postwar world, while his paintings and drawings—portraits of his brother Diego, his wife Annette, and his friends—captured the psychological depth of perception with trembling, repetitive lines that blurred the boundary between body and soul. His friendships with Picasso, Calder, Miro, and Kandinsky shaped his understanding of form, motion, and space, while his philosophical engagement with Duchamp and Man Ray deepened his inquiry into the nature of reality and perception. Working obsessively in his modest Montparnasse studio, Giacometti pursued art as an existential act—destroying and rebuilding his figures in an endless search for truth. His influence on postwar art was immense, shaping the work of Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, Louise Bourgeois, Lucian Freud, and later contemporary sculptors such as Antony Gormley and Anselm Kiefer. His aesthetic also resonated beyond sculpture, influencing fashion, photography, and architecture through his vision of form, isolation, and proportion. Giacometti’s work is represented in major museum collections including MoMA, the Tate Modern, and the Centre Pompidou, and continues to inspire artists, collectors, and thinkers worldwide. Standing alongside Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, Giacometti remains a towering figure in modern art—a sculptor-philosopher who transformed the human form into a universal symbol of resilience and reflection. His highest auction record was achieved by L’Homme qui marche I (Walking Man I), which sold for 141.3 million USD at Sotheby’s, London, on February 3, 2010, reaffirming Alberto Giacometti’s enduring legacy as one of the most visionary, profound, and collectible artists in the history of modern art. After Alberto Giacometti Nu de Profil 1956, Giacometti Derriere le miroir No. 92-93, Giacometti etching...

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