It’s no secret that having a famous collector own work by a star artist often enhances its cachet at auction.
That’s expected to be the case when Christie’s offers 21 works by Diego Giacometti from the collection of iconic fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy at a dedicated sale in Paris on March 6, 2017. The sale is expected to raise roughly €6 million to €8 million.
Installation view of Hubert de Givenchy’s Chateau du Jonchet with Diego Giacometti table.
According to the artnet Price Database, which lists more than 2,000 auction results for Diego, the record for the Swiss artist is $3.8 million, achieved at Sotheby’s New York this past November for a bronze 1970s Table aux Personnages. Diego is famous for his furniture and animal bronzes.
The second highest price of $1.7 million was achieved for another table, Console Chevreuil, Biche et Bambi (circa 1975) that was sold at Doyle New York in April 2013.
Diego Giacometti’s octagonal table with caryatids (circa 1983). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd.
The highest priced lots at Christie’s are three tables. Two are of the same dimension and are being sold separately (estimate: €800,000–1.2 million), while a third, slightly smaller one, is estimated at €600,000–800,000.
Alberto Giacometti at the 1962 Venice Biennale. Photo from Fondo Paolo Monti via Wikimedia Commons.
The house will further offer a work by his more famous brother Alberto, whose signature elongated sculptures are among the most expensive works ever sold at auction. The current record for Alberto is $141 million, achieved in May of 2015 at Christie’s.
Diego Giacometti, Pigeon. Courtesy Christie’s Images Limited.
Givenchy, who turns 90 next month, told Le Figaro that he was offloading a portion of his personal collection at the Chateau du Jonchet southwest of Paris. “However, I am keeping some of my (Giacomettis) which are useful” to have around the house, he said.