In this late portrait of his wife and principal model, Giacometti positioned the figure close to the picture plane, half-length and facing forward, framed by an abstract, gestural backdrop. With its expressive brushwork, the work may seem hastily executed; however, sitting for Giacometti was a time-intensive endeavor. Despite this, he never regarded any of his paintings—or sculptures—as finished. The artist’s long and careful painting process and frequent changes to the composition are especially apparent in the depiction of the face. After exhibiting a first version of this portrait in Paris in May 1961, Giacometti went back to rework the picture. According to Annette, he at first only wanted to change the nose, but subsequently turned her expression into the present wide-eyed stare while also retouching the background.
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Inscription: Signed and dated (lower right): Alberto Giacometti 1961
the artist (1961–about 1962; sold about 1962 to Pierre Matisse); [Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York, about 1962–63; sold on November 14, 1963 to Gelman); Jacques and Natasha Gelman, Mexico City and New York (1963–his d. 1986); Natasha Gelman, Mexico City and New York (1986–d.1998; her bequest to MMA)
Museum of Modern Art, New York. "Alberto Giacometti," June 9–October 10, 1965, no. 98 (lent by Mr. and Mrs. Jacques Gelman).
Art Institute of Chicago. "Alberto Giacometti," November 5–December 12, 1965, no. 98.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art. "Alberto Giacometti," January 11–February 20, 1966, no. 98.
San Francisco Museum of Art. "Alberto Giacometti," March 10–April 24, 1966, no. 98.
Paris. Orangerie des Tuileries. "Alberto Giacometti," October 15 [delayed to 24], 1969–January 12, 1970, no. 191 (lent by Mr. and Mrs. Jacques Gelman, Mexico).
Washington, D. C. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution. "Alberto Giacometti, 1901–1966," September 15–November 13, 1988, no. 99 (lent by Jacques and Natasha Gelman, New York).
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Twentieth-Century Modern Masters: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection," December 12, 1989–April 1, 1990, unnumbered cat. (p. 275).
London. Royal Academy of Arts. "Twentieth-Century Modern Masters: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection," April 19–July 15, 1990, unnumbered cat.
Martigny. Fondation Pierre Gianadda. "De Matisse à Picasso: Collection Jacques et Natasha Gelman," June 18–November 1, 1994, unnumbered cat. (p. 299).
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art [The Met Breuer]. "Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible," March 18–September 4, 2016, unnumbered cat. (pl. 86).
Valerie J. Fletcher. Alberto Giacometti, 1901–1966. Exh. cat., Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Washington, D. C., 1988, pp. 228–29, no. 99, ill. (color).
Sabine Rewald inTwentieth-Century Modern Masters: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection. Ed. William S. Lieberman. Exh. cat., The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, 1989, pp. 274–77, 300, ill. (color and bw).
Eva Reifert inUnfinished: Thoughts Left Visible. Exh. cat., The Metropolitan Museum of Art [The Met Breuer]. New York, 2016, p. 291.
Andrea Bayer and Nicholas Cullinan inUnfinished: Thoughts Left Visible. Exh. cat., The Metropolitan Museum of Art [The Met Breuer]. New York, 2016, p. 104, colorpl. 86.
Alejandro Cesarco. "Alberto Giacometti and Balthus in Gallery 907." The Artist Project: What Artists See When They Look at Art. Ed. Chris Noey. New York, 2017, ill. p. 55. (color, installation view).
Alberto Giacometti (Swiss, Borgonovo 1901–1966 Chur)
ca. 1951
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