This autumn, Christie’s is bringing the Giacometti brothers’ artworks to Hong Kong for a first-ever showcase of the duo’s art in Asia.

The exhibition A Brotherhood in Genius – Alberto & Diego Giacometti features an extraordinary selection from the legendary sculptor and designer siblings, widely recognised as two of the most pivotal figures of the 20th century art.

Held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre between 25 and 1 December, the exhibition comprises works in bronze, plaster, and wood, including rare and unique pieces by Diego alongside a number of Alberto’s signature works.

It showcases their work as a dialogue, exemplifying their influence on each other and their shared commitment to vivid silhouettes, complex patinas, and slender forms.

Diego and Alberto Giacometti, by Ernst Scheidegger, 1960

Born just a year apart, Alberto (1901) and his brother Diego (1902) were the sons of Swiss impressionist painter Giovanni Giacometti, who nurtured his sons’ creativity, especially Alberto’s precocious artistic gift.

Alberto moved to Paris in 1922 to study with Antoine Bourdelle, an associate of French sculptor Auguste Rodin, and started to make a name for himself in the art scene. Meanwhile, Diego attended a business school in Basel. Having difficulties to live up to his father’s expectations, he started mingling with shady people in Marseille.

Following his mother’s advice, Diego finally joined Alberto in Paris and became his studio assistant and muse, a role he will play until his brother’s death in 1966.

Alberto Giacometti in his studio, Paris, 1927

Diego played a significant role in Alberto’s artistic process. From creating armatures and bases for Alberto’s iconic skeletal figures to casting and patinating sculptures, Diego was the backbone of his older brother’s art.

The brothers were fond of each other despite their differences. Alberto was an artist and an intellectual, while Diego was an artisan and an everyman. Alberto was able to discuss existentialism with Jean-Paul Sartre and to socialise with Miró and Picasso, while Diego was more comfortable walking in the mountains or spending nights with drinkers and smokers.

Alberto, Diego and Annette Giacometti. Photo: International Center of Photography

But their support was not only one-sided. Alberto was also the backbone of Diego, trying to protect his little brother from a disreputable lifestyle. It was also Alberto who encouraged Diego to train as a caster, and introduced his brother to affluent art patrons, playing a crucial role in Diego’s evolution into a prominent sculptor and designer.

After meeting the dealer and designer Jean-Michel Frank in 1929, Alberto started to design objects, including vases, chandeliers and lights. To him, these works were intricately linked to his sculptures.

Diego also turned to Frank’s aesthetic of modest luxury and produced objects that were not meant to be functional, but to stand out as a visual statement.

Diego Giacometti, Table de coiffeuse avec oiseau et coupe; Tabouret de coiffeuse avec souris, 1960-1963

Diego’s explorations into furniture design began after the Second World War. Visitors to the brothers’ studio started to ask for “the other Giacometti”, and Diego gained attention and support from collectors like Givenchy. Alberto was famous by this time, creating works such as Femme assise (1949-50), and photographers like Cartier-Bresson or Irving Penn contributed to Alberto’s fame with their images of the sculptor in his small crowded studio.

This is after the Second World War that the collaboration between the two artists brothers became essential. Every single artwork by Alberto was discussed with Diego, who was also helping shaping the sculptures, making the molds and carving the stone.

Diego was also Alberto’s favourite model, like in Buste d’homme, Diego au blouson (1953) or Tête d’homme, Diego (1961). Yet, the sculptor later admitted that after spending a lifetime trying to capture Diego, he had never truly succeeded.

Diego Giacometti next to “Tête de Diego enfant”, Sabine Weiss, 1966

Alberto died in 1966 at the age of 65, but his brother Diego lived another two decades. Gradually, Diego got farther away from the shadow of his brother, refining his own personal style, more approachable, thanks to its lifestyle and roots in the folk culture of everyday people. His pieces, such as his tables and lamps, became part of the collections of some of the most famous collectors in Europe.

It was about time that the brothers’ art and deep connection was celebrated and showcased for the first time in Asia!

A Brotherhood in Genius – Alberto & Diego Giacometti – HKCEC – 25 November to 1 December 2023