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Lot Essay
Diego Giacometti conceived the first of his celebrated bronze armchairs in 1955. The initial model was largely unadorned and square-backed; the second, in 1958, was marked by curved armrests; the culminant examples, beginning in 1963, were set off by knobbed pommels and, finally, by the lions' heads as seen in the present and following three chairs. There are two versions of the lion head motif: the first, conceived circa 1970, with its front feet en patins; the second, conceived circa 1979, with lions' claws for front feet.
Diego's fondness for animals dominates his oeuvre, their selection frequently suited to the commission. In the present case, the lions' heads were added at the request of client Henrietta Vronsky-Asch, who was born under the Leo astrological sign: "[Diego] adapted his usual armchair model by adding two lions' heads on the armrests. The result was the 'Lion-armchair'" (D. Marchesseau, op. cit., p. 82).
The Nashers ordered these chair (see also lots 354, 358-359) from the artist in 1985. Diego passed away before he could finalize the patination, but as the Nashers were enthralled with the chairs, they went ahead with their purchase from the artist's estate.
Diego's fondness for animals dominates his oeuvre, their selection frequently suited to the commission. In the present case, the lions' heads were added at the request of client Henrietta Vronsky-Asch, who was born under the Leo astrological sign: "[Diego] adapted his usual armchair model by adding two lions' heads on the armrests. The result was the 'Lion-armchair'" (D. Marchesseau, op. cit., p. 82).
The Nashers ordered these chair (see also lots 354, 358-359) from the artist in 1985. Diego passed away before he could finalize the patination, but as the Nashers were enthralled with the chairs, they went ahead with their purchase from the artist's estate.