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Alberto Giacometti — Studies of Heads (Recto / Verso)
Artwork Features
Artist: Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) Title: Études de Têtes (recto); Étude de Tête d’après l’Antique (verso) Date: Circa 1952, as recorded in the 2003 invoice Medium: Pencil on paper Recorded sheet size: 14.5 × 11 cm (5 11/16 × 4 5/16 in.) Signature: “Alberto Giacometti” on the recto, as recorded in the invoice Presentation: Framed for viewing both sides Documentation: Photographic authentication statement signed James Lord, Paris, March 20, 1996 Condition: Paper toning and spotting visible in photographs; request a condition report
About the Artwork
Four head studies on the recto explore the face through dense, overlapping pencil lines and shifts between frontal and profile views. On the verso, a larger profile is surrounded by lighter marginal sketches. The repeated contours give the drawing an exploratory rhythm: features emerge through revision rather than a single fixed outline. Its intimate scale and double-sided presentation offer a close view of the artist’s working process.
About the Artist
Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) was a Swiss sculptor, painter and draughtsman whose work placed the human figure at the centre of modern art. Alongside his celebrated sculpture, drawing remained a sustained investigation of perception. The head, the gaze and the difficulty of capturing a living presence were recurring concerns throughout his career.
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