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拍品專文
In the intimate world of twentieth-century decorative arts, few objects resonate with the quiet authority of Alberto Giacometti’s bronzes. The present exceptionally rare pair of ‘Pyramides’ andirons, speak not only to the refined taste of their commissioner, but also to the creative synergy between the Giacometti brothers and their network of elite patrons and collaborators.
Alberto Giacometti began creating decorative objects in 1929, initially as a means of financial support alongside his sculptural practice. His early commissions such as a surrealist-inspired bronze bas-relief and a pair of fire dogs for French banker Pierre David-Weill, hinted at the distinctive style he would continue to refine.
Giacometti’s deeper involvement in design blossomed through his close collaboration with legendary interior decorator Jean-Michel Frank. Their partnership, built on mutual admiration and a shared aesthetic sensibility, lasted throughout the 1930s and resulted in some of the most iconic interiors of the era. Frank, known for his radical minimalism and refined use of historical references, positioned Giacometti as a prominent figure in his creative circle, alongside artists like Christian Bérard, Salvador Dalí, and Emilio Terry.
Giacometti’s work for Frank, ranging from lamps and vases to andirons and sconces, became highly coveted by elite clients including Frances Elkins, Syrie Maugham, and Nelson Rockefeller. Giacometti's pieces were featured in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, and no Frank commission was considered complete without a Giacometti design. By the end of the decade, he had created over a hundred objects for Frank, merging sculpture and utility with enduring elegance.
Frances Elkins was instrumental in introducing the refined, avant-garde aesthetic of Jean-Michel Frank to the United States. A tastemaker with a deep appreciation for European modernism, Elkins formed a close friendship and professional relationship with Frank during her time in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s. Recognizing the quiet luxury and radical simplicity of his interiors, she brought his vision and that of his collaborators across the Atlantic.
For the Zellerbachs, Elkins ordered through Jean-Michel Frank some of Alberto Giacometti’s rarest works, the curved plaster ‘Oiseau’ (lot 13 and lot 14) and the present pair of ‘Pyramides’ andirons. These sculptural fire dogs, with their stark geometric elegance and deep brown patina, exemplify the seamless blend of art and function that defined both Elkins’ and Frank’s interiors as well as Giacometti’s approach to design.
As of this catalogue's publication, these are the only examples of this model registered on the Alberto Giacometti Database, the online catalogue raisonné of the artist's work. A similar design appeared in the villa of Raymond Patenôtre in Nice, decorated by Jean-Michel Frank and published in Vogue in 1937, suggesting that Giacometti may have explored subtle variations on this theme in his highly exclusive decorative commissions. Elegant, enigmatic, and sculpturally refined, these andirons are a rare testament to Giacometti’s innovative contributions to modern design.
Alberto Giacometti began creating decorative objects in 1929, initially as a means of financial support alongside his sculptural practice. His early commissions such as a surrealist-inspired bronze bas-relief and a pair of fire dogs for French banker Pierre David-Weill, hinted at the distinctive style he would continue to refine.
Giacometti’s deeper involvement in design blossomed through his close collaboration with legendary interior decorator Jean-Michel Frank. Their partnership, built on mutual admiration and a shared aesthetic sensibility, lasted throughout the 1930s and resulted in some of the most iconic interiors of the era. Frank, known for his radical minimalism and refined use of historical references, positioned Giacometti as a prominent figure in his creative circle, alongside artists like Christian Bérard, Salvador Dalí, and Emilio Terry.
Giacometti’s work for Frank, ranging from lamps and vases to andirons and sconces, became highly coveted by elite clients including Frances Elkins, Syrie Maugham, and Nelson Rockefeller. Giacometti's pieces were featured in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, and no Frank commission was considered complete without a Giacometti design. By the end of the decade, he had created over a hundred objects for Frank, merging sculpture and utility with enduring elegance.
Frances Elkins was instrumental in introducing the refined, avant-garde aesthetic of Jean-Michel Frank to the United States. A tastemaker with a deep appreciation for European modernism, Elkins formed a close friendship and professional relationship with Frank during her time in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s. Recognizing the quiet luxury and radical simplicity of his interiors, she brought his vision and that of his collaborators across the Atlantic.
For the Zellerbachs, Elkins ordered through Jean-Michel Frank some of Alberto Giacometti’s rarest works, the curved plaster ‘Oiseau’ (lot 13 and lot 14) and the present pair of ‘Pyramides’ andirons. These sculptural fire dogs, with their stark geometric elegance and deep brown patina, exemplify the seamless blend of art and function that defined both Elkins’ and Frank’s interiors as well as Giacometti’s approach to design.
As of this catalogue's publication, these are the only examples of this model registered on the Alberto Giacometti Database, the online catalogue raisonné of the artist's work. A similar design appeared in the villa of Raymond Patenôtre in Nice, decorated by Jean-Michel Frank and published in Vogue in 1937, suggesting that Giacometti may have explored subtle variations on this theme in his highly exclusive decorative commissions. Elegant, enigmatic, and sculpturally refined, these andirons are a rare testament to Giacometti’s innovative contributions to modern design.