Comte Gianni Barresi & Fulvio Barresi, Italy (acquired directly from the artist in the late 1960s)
Thence by descent 

Very good condition. Dark brown patina. The foliage of the tree features a green patina on one face. Surface is clean. Some minor wear to the base.
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.

Diego Giacometti first began using animal imagery in his work around 1935, perhaps an inevitability given his upbringing on the family farm in the rugged, alpine region of Bregaglia in Switzerland. In time the artist combined both the quotidian animal forms of the cats, dogs and horses seen in surrounding villages with the wilder elements of owls, deer and wolves in the mountains, weaving a fantastical and dreamlike world in bronze. In an interview with Patricia de Beauvais, the artist explained the origin of the Promenade des amis motif: "It was for a client who organized auctions to benefit animal rights. So I thought of this, La Promenade des amis: a horse with three little dogs, one of which ‘waters’ the tree, another who sniffs him. I had one client ask me to remove it. It bothered her, but dogs, they are all the same, I told her” (translated from the French, quoted in Christian Boutonnet & Rafael Ortiz, Diego Giacometti, Paris, 2003, p. 95).

Fig. 1 Cecil Beaton, Portrait of Diego Giacometti, 1962