During World War II Diego Giacometti did his first animal sculptures. Animals regularly adorned his works, such as the Table arbre à la souris (Tree table with mouse) which belonged to the collection of Jean-Paul Binet, an eminent surgeon who was a close friend and patron of Diego Giacometti. His fascination with the animal kingdom was tied to the mythological and dream-like world of his childhood. His sculptures are sometimes amusing or picturesque. For example, L' Autruche (The Ostrich) owed its existence to the fact that his friend Dr. Binet, not knowing what to do with an ostrich egg, gave it to Diego who integrated inside an ostrich that he dreamt up and sculpted. Diego Giacometti's animal art was rich. Along with familiar animals he liked to have animals that symbolized force, power and beauty such as the heads of lions, wolves and horses. He used bronze, a material that permitted him to sculpt in great detail, grace and elasticity. Diego's animals called for special, often costly techniques such as the lost wax method. His animals were so finely done they helped make his reputation. After the death of Alberto in 1966, Diego redoubled his efforts, doing works of importance for decorators such as Georges Geffroy and Henri Samuel, or ensembles for public works such as the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the Chagall Museum in Nice, and the Picasso Museum in Paris. It was only after Alberto died that Diego came to be widely recognized as an important artist. A major selection of his working material - over 500 items from the studio - has been given in 1986 by his estate to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, following his exhibition held a few months after his death.
During World War II Diego Giacometti did his first animal sculptures. Animals regularly adorned his works, such as the Table arbre à la souris (Tree table with mouse) which belonged to the collection of Jean-Paul Binet, an eminent surgeon who was a close friend and patron of Diego Giacometti. His fascination with the animal kingdom was tied to the mythological and dream-like world of his childhood. His sculptures are sometimes amusing or picturesque. For example, L' Autruche (The Ostrich) owed its existence to the fact that his friend Dr. Binet, not knowing what to do with an ostrich egg, gave it to Diego who integrated inside an ostrich that he dreamt up and sculpted. Diego Giacometti's animal art was rich. Along with familiar animals he liked to have animals that symbolized force, power and beauty such as the heads of lions, wolves and horses. He used bronze, a material that permitted him to sculpt in great detail, grace and elasticity. Diego's animals called for special, often costly techniques such as the lost wax method. His animals were so finely done they helped make his reputation. After the death of Alberto in 1966, Diego redoubled his efforts, doing works of importance for decorators such as Georges Geffroy and Henri Samuel, or ensembles for public works such as the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the Chagall Museum in Nice, and the Picasso Museum in Paris. It was only after Alberto died that Diego came to be widely recognized as an important artist. A major selection of his working material - over 500 items from the studio - has been given in 1986 by his estate to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, following his exhibition held a few months after his death.
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