Bust of a Man (known as Chiavenna I)
- Artist: Alberto Giacometti
- Date: 1964
- Medium: Bronze
- Dimensions: object: 410 x 197 x 152 mm, 5.2 kg
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
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About this artwork
This is the Bust of a Man (known as Chiavenna I) by Alberto Giacometti. Created in 1964 in bronze, it captures the artist’s brother Diego, sculpted from memory. Giacometti was obsessed with the eye, believing that the look in a portrait’s eyes carries everything else. That’s why you see the intense, penetrating gaze here. The title ‘Chiavenna I’ comes from the small Italian town of Chiavenna where the bronze was cast, just across the border from Giacometti’s hometown of Borgonovo in Switzerland. It was first shown in 1965 at the Tate Gallery and has since appeared in several major exhibitions. The piece is compact, about 41 cm tall, but its psychological depth invites you to linger. Notice how the texture of the bronze highlights the subtle details of the face, giving the sculpture a palpable presence.
See it in person
Bust of a Man (known as Chiavenna I) is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
