The Other Giacometti

After several unreliable weeks, I shall attempt to get Music Mondays back on track. And geez people, you can knock it off with the angry, pissed off emails ok? Just kidding

A Google image search of the name “Giacometti” pulls up thousands upon thousands of results of those skinny, sticklike sculptures we know so well. They are of course the distinctive works of the 20th century Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti. Although easily the most well-known Alberto was not the only artistic talent in the Giacometti family. His father, Giovanni, was an accomplished painter. His brother Diego was a fellow sculptor and his other brother Bruno was an architect.

There was also Augusto Giacometti, a cousin of Giovanni which makes him Alberto’s cousin/uncle twice removed? I don’t know, but whatever. They’re family! I found this very beautiful piece by Augusto titled Die Musik (The Music) from 1898, done in pastel, tempera, and gold flakes in the decorative, art nouveau style popular at the turn-of-the-century. The gesture of the woman kissing the forehead of the young violinist is really lovely. Looks a little like a Klimt, yes?

If you visit the artnet gallery of Augusto Giacometti’s works you will see that he had quite the gift for color and worked in variety of media.