A lively introduction to the life and work of Alberto Giacometti, whose unique style and innovative vision make him one of the most significant and internationally acclaimed sculptors of the postwar era

Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) is best known for his elongated, wraithlike sculptures. Instantly recognizable and inescapably associated with the existentialist despair of his time, these unusual figures presented a vulnerable image of humanity in which a generation traumatized by the war recognized itself, but they also continue to remain intensely meaningful to contemporary society today. This book is a key introduction to the life and work of Giacometti. It follows the story of his artistic evolution, from his first sketchbooks and paintings inspired by his father’s colorful postimpressionist style to his formative experience with death that shaped his obsession with the subject throughout his career. Exploring the artist’s move toward curious surrealist compositions and the emergence of his mature style, it celebrates the enduring power of one of the most internationally acclaimed sculptors of the postwar era.