Man Pointing by Alberto Giacometti

Man Pointing by Alberto Giacometti

Text Box: The piece is not one of Giacomettiâ's largest, yet is a

considerable size, measuring 69.5"x35.5". It is made from bronze, and

unlike many famous figure sculptures, Giacometti elongates and thins

the limbs and body until it appears almost like a beanstalk. The man

stands upright and his legs appear almost wire-like. They are

disproportionately lengthy compared to the torso, which seems frail

and skeletal. Meanwhile, the outstretched arms are eerily thin and long

and this serves to add a striking contrast to such a monolithic piece.

A small and narrow neck precariously supports the statue's head just

as a golf tee supports a golf ball. The whole structure looks somewhat

fragile, as though it could collapse at any moment. The theme of support

is also quite relevant. If we look at the base of the model, it is large,

bulky; the figures feet are embedded in it, as if constraining it.

"Man Pointing", or "Thin Man" is one of Alberto Giacometti's best

known pieces of artwork, helping to carve his reputation as a superb

sculptor. This piece was finished almost over-night in 1947. During

the postwar period, this and many other pieces of his work such as

"L'homme qui Marche"(The Man who Walks) and The Chariot gained

popularity because his personal style reflected "Existentialism,"

which at that time struck a chord with the current philosophic views

that were fashionable within society. Similar to several o...