Giacometti: A Biography
by James Lord
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The work of one of the towering creative spirits of the century, Alberto Giacometti's visionary sculptures and paintings from a testament to the artist's intriguing life story. From modest beginnings in a Swiss village, Giacometti went on to flourish in the picturesque milieu of prewar Paris and then to achieve international acclaim in the fifties and sixties. Picasso, Balthus, Samuel Beckett, Stravinsky and Sartre have parts in his story, along with flamboyant art dealers, whores, shady show more drifters, unscrupulous collectors, poets and thieves. Women were a complex yet important element of his life--particularly his wife, Annette, and his last mistress and model, Caroline--as was the intimate relationship he shared with his brother Diego, who was both Alberto's confidant and collaborator.James Lord was personally acquainted with Giacometti and his entourage, and combines firsthand experience with a unique knowledge gathered during many years of observation and research. In this exceptional biography Lord unfolds the personal history of a man who managed to achieve a heroic destiny by remaining utterly true to himself and to his calling.Giacometti: A Biography was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award. James Lord has subsequently published three volumes of memoirs. In recognition of his contribution to French culture he has been made an officer of the Legion of Honour. show lessTags
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Stunning portrait of the artist. Paean to the "unfinished" and the difficulty of ever completing a piece of art to satisfaction. Especially moving to reconsider as I struggle with letting go of the page proofs for my forthcoming memoir Love Junkie -- my last chance to alter the text. Profound and stirring biography that spans the inspired, perverse, focused and restless life of one of the great artists of all time imo.
Great biography about a beautiful sculptor & artist. An intriguing and complicated life story told by a close friend in pre-war Paris. An artists life in Paris, it doesn't get any better.
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James Lord first went to France at age twenty-one as a member of the Military Intelligence Service during World War II. Since then he has spent the major part of his life in Paris, where he has known many of the leading personages in the modern European art world. A Giacometti Portrait, first published in 1965, is considered a classic, and show more Giacometti: A Biography (1985) was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award. He has also written a number of volumes of memoirs: Picasso and Dora (1993), Six Exceptional Women (1994), Some Remarkable Men (1996), and A Gift for Admiration (1998). In recognition of his contribution to French culture, he has been made an officer of the Legion of Honor show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Alberto Giacometti: Die Biographie
- Original title
- Giacometti - A Biography
- People/Characters
- Alberto Giacometti
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- Members
- 121
- Popularity
- 270,530
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.17)
- Languages
- English, French, German, Italian
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 17
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 4
