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Lot Essay
Diego Giacometti, born 1902 in the Alpine valley of Stampa, Switzerland, first gained recognition as the principal assistant to his famous brother, painter and sculptor Alberto Giacometti. Upon moving to Paris in the late 1920s, the Giacometti brothers embarked upon a lifelong working partnership. They had a harmonious, symbiotic relationship – Diego was responsible for all of the technical executions of his brother’s work, including the elaborate bronze bases on which many works were grounded, and all of the bronze casting and application of patinas. His role as confidant, advisor, and technical assistant was vital for Alberto who found it difficult to focus on practical minutiae. In this role, Diego had the opportunity to meet various important collectors that would later become his clients.
One such client was the renowned collector Lee Kolker, of New York. Kolker visited Giacometti in France on multiple occasions to source furniture designs for friends back in the United States, in addition to commissioning particular designs such as the ‘Berceau’ Low Table, Modèl aux Renards (Sold, Christie’s New York, 7 June 2022, lot 168, $3,180,000 with premium).
Odyssia Skouras Quadrani established Odyssia Gallery, New York and Rome, along with her husband Rome native Federico Quadrani. Established in 1950s, their galleries focused on Italian surrealism and modernism and helped promote the Italian artists established in addition to forging a path for new and upcoming Italian artists to come in the third quarter 20th century. Giorgio de Chirico and Giorgio Morandi were two of the artist represented by the gallery, and later in its tenure the gallery celebrated American artists Jess [Jess Collins] and Irving Petlin.
Odyssia Skouras well connected in the art world of New York met Lee Kolker who in turn became a friend and confidant. The friendship allowed for Kolker to source designs by Diego Giacometti for her gallery primarily in the 1960s and early 70s. Odyssia Gallery participated in prominent art fairs of New York, such as internationally recognized The Art Show – Art Dealers Association of America, exhibited at Park Avenue Armory. It is upon these occasions that Skouras would introduce her designed by Giacometti and acquired via Kolker in her display for the Italian masters displayed amongst.
The ‘Berceau’ table, seconde version offered here, acquired by Skouras in the 1970s, displays elegance and strength simultaneously. The tensions of the hooked stretchers along with the zoomorphic supports of the table top and the pad-form feet present life-like attributes coupled with architectural prowess of stabilization and foundation. The marriage of both familiarities for Diego is not unusual, rather prominent in all designs by the master of furniture design.
One such client was the renowned collector Lee Kolker, of New York. Kolker visited Giacometti in France on multiple occasions to source furniture designs for friends back in the United States, in addition to commissioning particular designs such as the ‘Berceau’ Low Table, Modèl aux Renards (Sold, Christie’s New York, 7 June 2022, lot 168, $3,180,000 with premium).
Odyssia Skouras Quadrani established Odyssia Gallery, New York and Rome, along with her husband Rome native Federico Quadrani. Established in 1950s, their galleries focused on Italian surrealism and modernism and helped promote the Italian artists established in addition to forging a path for new and upcoming Italian artists to come in the third quarter 20th century. Giorgio de Chirico and Giorgio Morandi were two of the artist represented by the gallery, and later in its tenure the gallery celebrated American artists Jess [Jess Collins] and Irving Petlin.
Odyssia Skouras well connected in the art world of New York met Lee Kolker who in turn became a friend and confidant. The friendship allowed for Kolker to source designs by Diego Giacometti for her gallery primarily in the 1960s and early 70s. Odyssia Gallery participated in prominent art fairs of New York, such as internationally recognized The Art Show – Art Dealers Association of America, exhibited at Park Avenue Armory. It is upon these occasions that Skouras would introduce her designed by Giacometti and acquired via Kolker in her display for the Italian masters displayed amongst.
The ‘Berceau’ table, seconde version offered here, acquired by Skouras in the 1970s, displays elegance and strength simultaneously. The tensions of the hooked stretchers along with the zoomorphic supports of the table top and the pad-form feet present life-like attributes coupled with architectural prowess of stabilization and foundation. The marriage of both familiarities for Diego is not unusual, rather prominent in all designs by the master of furniture design.