About the Author Born in Tours in 1923, Yves Bonnefoy graduated in history of science and philosophy. He is first and foremost, however, a writer, and has devoted himself primarily to the analysis of poetry and art. In 1953, he published his first volume of poems, Du Mouvement et de l'immobilite de Douve, and he has just published his sixth volume, Ebut et fin de la neige. He has also written numerous essays, including Rome 1630, L'Improbable, l'Arriere-Pays, Entretiens sur la poesie, and has translated Shakespeare and Yeats into French. Many of his poetic works have been translated into English (his most recent is In the Shadow's Light, University of Chicago Press, 1990) along with a number of his essays ("The Act and the Place of Poetry', 'The Lure and Truth of Painting'). He was awarded the Prix Montaigne in 1978 and the Bennett Award in New York in 1988. He has been invited to teach at numerous American universities, among them Yale, Princeton, the University of California and City University, New York. He was elected in 1981 to a Chair of Comparative Poetry at the College de France. He is a doctor honoris causa at various universities, including the University of Chicago. Read more
D**M
my favorite artist
If you love his work you must get this book. Its a great catalog of some of his finest works.
I**R
great illustrations, curious text
This large tome is a translation into English from the original written in French and released in 1991. It is written by Yves Bonnefoy, who is primarily a poet by profession. His writing is often of an analytic bent in which he attempts to demonstrate how Giacometti's personality and life experience influenced the sculpture and paintings that he created. Be warned, the style is often prolix and difficult to fathom. I present a random quote from the book as an example." And this is, in a sense, yet another sign of the potential fecundity, the richness of this new period: between these two extremes, without sacrificing anything to their fundamental mystery, Giacometti is now entitled to suggest many compositions-of 'incredible complexity'-which, without reaching the essence of things, none the less will point to it. Sometimes they will let the never-mastered terror before nothingness overwhelm the artist's mind, sometimes they suceed, perhaps, in conveying the 'wonder' of life which remained Giacometti's great supporting thought during these months. Many things become possible: all of them ambiguous".Fortunately not all of the writing is as incomprehensible as this exerpt, but similar passages abound. Ultimately the attentive reader should be able to get some idea of what Bonnefoy is attempting to convey.The redeeming feature of this book is the copious amount of quality reproductions of Giacometti's enigmatic and often haunting sculptures and paintings. These beautiful images often occupy a full page and are in themselves a good enough reason to acquire this book.There are additionally some interesting photographs of the artist and his studio.Despite my reservations about the text, I would still recommend this book as an excellent overview of Giacometti's life and work.
C**E
Best book on one of true greats
Alberto Giacometti gave Western art perhaps the most persuasive and comprehensive view of the state of being human post WW2; eroded to its core yet still possessing the intelligence to think it way out of the mess it constantly makes for itself.Yves Bonnefoy's book Giacometti is the definitive work on this artist and should be compulsory reading for anyone contemplating becoming a contemporary artist as it contains all the clues that would alow someone to understand such essential things as integrity and the balancing act between idea and artistry.
M**Y
BBB
Big Beautiful Book. Great for the coffee table, sometimes that's what's necessary to share with the neighbors one's love of art. I fancy Giacometti's tall, emaciated figures.
P**L
Giacometti: Alienation and estrangement
Alberto Giacometti is among my favorite 20th century sculptors -- his semi-representational sculptures are powerful and expressive of the alienation and estrangement of the human condition.
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