Galerie Jacques Lacoste @jacqueslacoste is showing two extraordinary vases by Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) at TEFAF New York @tefaf , for the occasion of which I’ve written the accompanying essay.
The text traces the unlikely origins of these extraordinary works back to Isabel Rawsthorne, whose arrival in Paris in 1934 profoundly altered the course of Giacometti’s art. His obsession with rendering the elusive image of Rawsthorne standing at a distance on the Boulevard Saint-Michel led him away from Surrealism and towards what he saw as the central problem of sculpture: the act of seeing itself. The tiny figures he produced during this period, many scarcely larger than a pea, became the defining works of his wartime years in Switzerland.
Working in near isolation from a small hotel room in Geneva, Giacometti continued pursuing this ever-elusive vision, reducing figures down to their barest essence. Yet amid this intensely private struggle, he created something wholly unexpected: a pair of monumental plaster vases for his friend, the publisher Albert Skira. Vast in scale and radically unlike the miniature sculptures he carried back to Paris in matchboxes, the vases occupy a singular place within his oeuvre.
Influenced by African sculpture, Egyptian funerary objects, Cubism and his collaborations with the decorator Jean-Michel Frank, these works mark an important moment in Giacometti’s artistic evolution, recalling earlier decorative objects made as he moved away from Surrealism, while simultaneously anticipating the monumentality of the elongated figures for which he would later become known.
Far from being decorative curiosities, the vases reveal Giacometti’s conviction that there was “no rift between the fine and decorative arts”. Totemic, austere and strangely timeless, they stand as sculptural propositions in their own right: protective, monolithic forms that seem at once ancient and wholly original.
Jacques Lacoste will be showing at TEFAF NY between 14-19 May.
#albertogiacometti #giacometti #sculpture #modernart #jeanmichelfrank
La galerie Jacques Lacoste est heureuse d’annoncer sa participation à TEFAF New York 2026, qui se tiendra du 15 au 19 mai au Park Avenue Armory.
Diego Giacometti (1902–1985)
Fauteuil modèle « Têtes de lionnes », seconde version
Bronze et métal à patine brune et dorée
#GalerieJacquesLacoste #TefafNY #Giacometti
Paul Iribe (1883–1935) 🤍
Ensemble de quatre flacons en cristal, bouchons en argent ciselé en forme de fleur Circa 1910
Set of four crystal bottles with chiseled silver flower caps
Circa 1910
Available - [email protected]
Dernier jour au PAD Paris
Gilbert Poillerat
Porte-manteaux en fer forgé
René Prou
Guéridon en métal patiné canon de fusil
Pierre Lardin
« La Reine et les troubadours »
Miroir en panneaux de miroirs églomisés
René Drouet
Chaises en fer forgé
Raymond Subes
Paire de torchères en bronze doré et verre
🤍
L’ESPRIT GRANDE DEMEURE
Sur un stand dont l’esprit évoque la décoration des grandes demeures de collectionneurs, la galerie propose un dialogue entre des créations emblématiques des arts décoratifs du XXe siècle et de prestigieux objets d’art anciens.
On a stand inspired by the decoration of grand collectors’ residences, the gallery presents a dialogue between iconic 20th-century decorative arts creations and prestigious antique works of art.
PAD Paris commence aujourd’hui - starts today !
#PADPARIS #GalerieJacquesLacoste #1940s
Galerie Jacques Lacoste celebrates the inauguration of its new exhibition spaces on 19 Avenue Matignon, Paris.
The gallery now extends into the adjoining space on the street, unveiling new exhibition rooms. An additional 120 square meters across two levels, ground floor and first floor, now complement the existing 500 square meters, making the gallery one of the largest spaces in Paris dedicated to the decorative arts.
To mark the occasion, the gallery presents a selection of rare and exceptional pieces, including a remarkable and seldom seen Salon Œuf by Jean Royère, circa 1965.
Composed of a sofa and two matching armchairs in oak and mohair velvet, this ensemble, with its deliberately low seating, invites lounging, reading, and intimate conversation. These unconventional proportions, explored by Royère as early as the 1930s, reflect his vision of a modern art of living.
This salon has remained in the family of its original commissioner since its creation.
Opening at the Gallery Thursday 19th of March 2026 from 6-9
Still a couple days left in Gstaad.
Our 1950s booth brings together sculptural pieces by Alexandre Noll and ceramics by Georges Jouve, in dialogue with Jean Royère, Charlotte Perriand, Kandinsky, Simone Prouvé and Serge Mouille. 🖤
#Gstaad #JacquesLacoste
[email protected]
On the occasion of this week’s fair in Gstaad, the gallery presents a selection of French mid-century design classics.
Serge Mouille (1922–1988)
Floor lamp, circa 1953 first edition
Two “Flamme” wall lights, circa 1962
Jean Royère (1902–1981)
“Serpentin” coat rack, circa 1950
Wood panelling, 1950
Bar cart, circa 1955
Gold-patinated metal; partially mirrored glass tops
On view in Gstaad. Come visit us for today’s public opening!
#SergeMouille #JeanRoyere #Gstaad #FrenchDesign #JacquesLacoste
La Galerie Jacques Lacoste a le plaisir de vous donner rendez-vous au salon Maze Art Gstaad, du 19 au 22 février 2026.
L’accent sera mis sur la seconde moitié du XXᵉ siècle, à travers une sélection de pièces emblématiques de Jean Royère, Diego Giacometti, Alexandre Noll et Georges Jouve…
Vernissage : Jeudi 19 février 2026
Galerie Jacques Lacoste is pleased to welcome you to Maze Art Gstaad, from 19 to 22 February 2026.
The presentation will focus on the second half of the 20th century, featuring a curated selection of works by Jean Royère, Diego Giacometti, Alexandre Noll, and Georges Jouve.
Opening preview: Thursday, 19 February 2026
Jean Royère Archives, Galerie Jacques Lacoste & Galerie Patrick Seguin,
photograph no. 904.
Jean Royère Archives, Galerie Jacques Lacoste & Galerie Patrick Seguin,
photograph no. 1210 - 1953.
Happy New Year! Last few days to visit our Sue & Mare exhibition. Showcasing a mix of their creations alongside our 1925 vision of luxury, blending comfort, refinement, and modernity.
Gathered is a mix of major artists and craftsmen: metalworker Richard Devallieres, pioneer of modern tableware Jean Luce, master lacquer artist Jean Dunand, leading Art Deco designer Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Armand Albert Râteau, and more.
Discover a decorative language with French classicism as a source of inspiration but without the nostalgia.
19 Avenue Matignon 75008
#1925 #GalerieJacquesLacoste
