Giacometti and the Egyptians
Sounding like some kind of pop group, this is nonetheless a new exhibition at the Kunsthaus Zurich, juxtaposing the Swiss sculptor's work with Egyptian pieces from Berlin. Most of the Giacomettis are familiar, belonging as they do in the collection here. I had a very quick first look around today and it was intriguing to see the obvious influences. All the following images are provided kindly by the Kunsthaus.
This bust of Akhenaton is from c. 1340 BC and is fashioned from painted stucco.
Giacometti made these sketches in 1921.
Finally a self portrait from the same year. There is a striking similarity, no? He was greatly influenced by the art of ancient Egypt, and this little exhibition is a fascinating way to examine that dialogue. One of those where you can dip your toe in a little and often and new insights will come to light. More later.
Les égyptiens avaient de grandes connaissances, en art comme en sciences, en architecture, médecine, astronomie etc... La simplification du trait est preuve de grand maîtrise.
And the Egyptians - as you rightly say a very sophisticated attitude towards art that is often overlooked, and misinterpreted from the figures in the friezes and documents. The sculptures make this very clear.
And learning from the past - here is Picasso, from a review of the current London exhibition
‘I have a feeling,’ Picasso said as he got older, ‘that Delacroix, Giotto, Tintoretto, El Greco and the rest, as well as all the modern painters, the good and the bad, the abstract and the non-abstract, are all standing behind me watching me at work.’ He also said that while he had a horror of copying himself he was happy to copy others: ‘Shown a portfolio of old drawings, for instance, I have no qualms about taking anything I want from them.’
The comparison between the Egyptian examples and Giacometti are striking!