Master of Color

Augusto Giacometti (1877 –1947) was a Swiss artist from Stampa, Graubünden, known predominantly as a painter in the Art Nouveau and Symbolism movements, as well as  for his work in stained glass. He was a proponent of murals and a designer of popular posters. He is cousin of Giovanni Giacometti –  father of Alberto, Diego and Bruno Giacometti – comprising the successful Giacometti dynasty of painters and artisans.

According to Tutt’Art,

The real focus of Augusto Giacometti’s art is his preoccupation with color as a medium for expression and design. His talent for colors is very conspicuous already in his early works, which were still largely Art Nouveau in style. And this master of color was to ultimately become a pioneer of abstraction in art.

Pioneer of Abstraction

Augusto Giacometti was one of the first painters of the 20th century to take steps into non-representational painting; his abstract paintings reflect his exhaustive study of the characteristics and rules of color.

His epitaph reads

Qui riposa il maestro dei colori,

“here lies the master of color.”

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Gallery best viewed At Sunnyside

Augusto Giacometti (1877-1947), ORCHIDS ON BLUE GROUND, 1938, (ORCHIDEEN AUF BLAUEM GRUND) Monogrammed lower left; Signed, dated and titled on the reverse, Oil on canvas, Source: Sotheby’s, Link: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/schweizer-kunst-swiss-art-zh1603/lot.43.html?locale=en , (detail).

Augusto Giacometti (1877-1947), ORCHIDS ON BLUE GROUND, 1938, (ORCHIDEEN AUF BLAUEM GRUND) Monogrammed lower left; Signed, dated and titled on the reverse, Oil on canvas, Source: Sotheby’s, Link: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/schweizer-kunst-swiss-art-zh1603/lot.43.html?locale=en , (detail).

Augusto Giacometti (1877-1947), ORCHIDS ON BLUE GROUND, 1938, (ORCHIDEEN AUF BLAUEM GRUND) Monogrammed lower left; Signed, dated and titled on the reverse, Oil on canvas, Source: Sotheby’s, Link: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/schweizer-kunst-swiss-art-zh1603/lot.43.html?locale=en , (detail).

Augusto Giacometti (1877-1947), ORCHIDS ON BLUE GROUND, 1938, (ORCHIDEEN AUF BLAUEM GRUND) Monogrammed lower left; Signed, dated and titled on the reverse, Oil on canvas, Source: Sotheby’s, Link: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/schweizer-kunst-swiss-art-zh1603/lot.43.html?locale=en , (detail).

Augusto Giacometti (1877-1947), ORCHIDS ON BLUE GROUND, 1938, (ORCHIDEEN AUF BLAUEM GRUND) Monogrammed lower left; Signed, dated and titled on the reverse, Oil on canvas, Source: Sotheby’s, Link: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/schweizer-kunst-swiss-art-zh1603/lot.43.html?locale=en , (detail).

Augusto Giacometti (1877-1947), ORCHIDS ON BLUE GROUND, 1938, (ORCHIDEEN AUF BLAUEM GRUND) Monogrammed lower left; Signed, dated and titled on the reverse, Oil on canvas, Source: Sotheby’s, Link: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/schweizer-kunst-swiss-art-zh1603/lot.43.html?locale=en , (detail).

Augusto Giacometti (1877-1947), ORCHIDS ON BLUE GROUND, 1938, (ORCHIDEEN AUF BLAUEM GRUND) Monogrammed lower left; Signed, dated and titled on the reverse, Oil on canvas, Source: Sotheby’s, Link: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/schweizer-kunst-swiss-art-zh1603/lot.43.html?locale=en , (detail).

Augusto Giacometti (1877-1947), ORCHIDS ON BLUE GROUND, 1938, (ORCHIDEEN AUF BLAUEM GRUND) Monogrammed lower left; Signed, dated and titled on the reverse, Oil on canvas, Source: Sotheby’s, Link: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/schweizer-kunst-swiss-art-zh1603/lot.43.html?locale=en , (detail).

Details

• Augusto Giacometti
• 1877 – 1947
• ORCHIDEEN AUF BLAUEM GRUND, 1938 (ORCHIDS ON BLUE GROUND)
• Unten links monogrammiert; rückseitig signiert, datiert und betitelt
• Öl auf Leinwand
• 45 x 45 cm
• Source: Sotheby’s
• Link: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/schweizer-kunst-swiss-art-zh1603/lot.43.html?locale=en

Sources:

Maria Laterza, TuttArt, “Augusto Giacometti”, Nov. 2014, (accessed 3 Dec 2018), (https://www.tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/2014/11/Augusto-Giacometti.html

Wikipedia contributors, “Augusto Giacometti,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Augusto_Giacometti&oldid=867373963 (accessed December 5, 2018).

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The End