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Alberto Giacometti

by Wolfgang Kühn, all photos (C) United Archives

My encounter with Alberto Giacometti in Paris, November 1963

Aimé Maeght, a gallery owner I knew, arranged for me to meet and
photograph the artist Alberto Giacometti.

It was adventurous to find the small studio in the 14th arrondissement of Paris on rue Hippolyte-Maindron. From the Place Odéon it was only a few stops by metro to the Alésia station. After a few steps I stood in front of a massive wooden gate and knocked on it several times – but nothing happened. Only after about half an hour did an elderly lady open the door set into the large gate and ask sullenly what I wanted.
Silently she listened to my wish and the recommendation of the gallery owner Maeght, slammed the door and left me standing there. What should I do- go back to the hotel without having achieved anything? My forced patience had paid off, after twenty minutes the door opened again and the concierge asked me to wait in her small apartment.

After another twenty minutes I was allowed to climb the steps to the studio and Alberto Giacometti greeted me.
While I unpacked and arranged my photographic paraphernalia, I explained my photographic wishes to the artist. It was afternoon and there was hardly any light in the small 25 square meter studio room. So I set up my music stand with a clamp light and turned on the lamp with a luminosity of 260 volts.
My camera was a Rolleicord (6x6cm format). I photographed with the US color film Super-Ansco.
Alberto Giacometti modeled with his hands on an unfinished sculpture,
always with a small knife stuck between the ball of his thumb, ring finger and little finger, with which he made corrections. German literature, culture and the development of post-war Germany and especially the position and participation of the youth interested him very much and were the content of our intensive conversation.
After about two hours Alberto finished his work and we left together the
studio to warm up in the nearby Café Alésia.

At this moment entered Alberto Giacometti’s wife Anette entered the courtyard, and at my request she posed for a photo with Alberto. What luck, because normally she was very photo shy.


Wolfgang Kühn, photographer
Meerbusch, Nov. 2009

Alberto Giacometti, Schweizer Bildhauer, Maler und Grafiker, in seinem Atelier in Paris, Frankreich 1963. Swiss sculptor, painter and graphic artist Alberto Giacometti at his studio in Paris, France 1963.
Objektkunst des Schweizer Bildhauers Alberto Giacometti in seinem Atelier in Paris, Frankreich 1963. Objects by Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti at his studio in Paris, France 1963.
Alberto Giacometti, Schweizer Bildhauer, Maler und Grafiker, und seine Ehefrau Annette Arm, im Hof vor seinem Atelier in Paris, Frankreich 1963. Swiss sculptor, painter and graphic artist Alberto Giacometti with his wife Annette Arm in the courtyard in front of his studio in Paris, France 1963.
Objektkunst des Schweizer Bildhauers Alberto Giacometti in seinem Atelier in Paris, Frankreich 1963. Objects by Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti at his studio in Paris, France 1963.
Alberto Giacometti, Schweizer Bildhauer, Maler und Grafiker, in seinem Atelier in Paris, Frankreich 1963. Swiss sculptor, painter and graphic artist Alberto Giacometti at his studio in Paris, France 1963.
Alberto Giacometti, Schweizer Bildhauer, Maler und Grafiker, in seinem Atelier in Paris, Frankreich 1963. Swiss sculptor, painter and graphic artist Alberto Giacometti at his studio in Paris, France 1963.
Alberto Giacometti, Schweizer Bildhauer, Maler und Grafiker, in seinem Atelier in Paris, Frankreich 1963. Swiss sculptor, painter and graphic artist Alberto Giacometti at his studio in Paris, France 1963.
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