Alberto Giacometti : Bust of Diego

Bust of Diego (Buste de Diego), 1954 Painted bronze, 15 1/2 x 13 1/4 x 8 1/4 in. (39.4 x 33.7 x 21 cm.)
Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection, Dallas, Texas

Giacometti's brother Diego was one of his most frequent models, appearing in drawings, paintings, and sculptures throughout Alberto's career. A particularly prolific and searching series of portrait busts dates from the early 1950s, as Giacometti worked diligently to capture the essence of Diego's character and appearance with a "realism" that he felt constantly eluded him. During this period he often painted his plasters and bronzes as a means of approaching more closely his fleeting perceptions. The three bronze portrait busts of Diego in the Nasher collection are extensively and beautifully painted in muted gray and gray-green tones. The distinctive variations in the portraits underline how differently Giacometti saw his brother on various occasions, and illustrate the artist's frequent statements about the limitations of sight.