(possibly) Pierre Matisse, New York
Frances Leventritt, New York (probably acquired from the above and sold by the estate: Christie's, New York, November 9, 2005, lot 406)
Acquired at the above sale

Christian Boutonnet & Rafael Ortiz, Diego Giacometti, Paris, 2003, illustration of another cast pp. 24-25

The work features a textured light gold and brown patina. Aside from faint surface scratching and stains, the bronze is in overall very good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The design and construction of interior furnishings figured prominently throughout Alberto Giacometti's artistic career. Living as a sculptor in Paris in the 1930s, the artist made numerous functional items for both designers and architects, often in collaboration with his brother Diego. These commissions included works for wealthy collector and banker Pierre David-Weill, interior designer Jean-Michel Frank and fashion couturier Elsa Schiaparelli.

Numerous parallels can be drawn between Giacometti's furniture and sculptures. For example in the present work, the elongated figures on each side of the lamp bear a striking resemblance to the artist's celebrated standing figures created in the aftermath of World War II. Recalling such commissions, Giacometti once said: "I came to realize that I made a vase in exactly the same way as I did a sculpture, and that there was no difference between what I termed a sculpture and an object, a vase! I had previously thought that a sculpture was different from an object. This all came as a shock. I had bypassed the mysterious, my work was not a true creation, it was no different from the way a cabinet-maker makes a table!" (quoted in Toni Stooss & Patrick Elliott, Alberto Giacometti 1901-1966 (exhibitionꦡ catalogue), Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, 1996, p. 19).