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22 - Diego Giacometti (1902-1985), Greek Table, c. 1965, brown pa…
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Estimate CHF 200,000 - CHF 300,000
Sale commission
Description
Diego Giacometti (1902-1985), Greek Table, c. 1965, brown patinated bronze, glass top, 45x111.8x81.5 cm Authenticated in accordance with the process established by the Diego Giacometti Estate. A certificate will be issued to the buyer. Provenance: Probably Marguerite Segard, née Prouvost (1906-2000), then remained in the family to this day. Michel Butor, Diego Giacometti, Paris, 1985, p. 141 (another illustrated proof), Françoise Francisci, Diego Giacometti, catalogue de l'oeuvre, Paris, 1986, vol. I, p. 78 (another illustrated proof), Daniel Marchesseau, Diego Giacometti, Paris, 1986, p. 64 (a small illustrated proof), Daniel Marchesseau, Diego Giacometti, Sculpteur de meubles, Editions du regard, Genève, 2018, p.149, (a small illustrated proof) The table is in generally good condition, consistent with its age, use and the nature of its materials. The brown patina bronze structure shows variations in patina, with areas of green oxidation visible in places (legs, corners and crosspieces). There are also small areas of rubbing and scattered scratches, with localised losses of patina sometimes revealing the underlying metal. The glass top has numerous scratches from use, some of them more pronounced. The fixing screws around the edge of the frame are covered in a brown, slightly waxy and crumbly patina, with visible gaps showing the heads of the screws in places. The edge of the table is made of an iron alloy frame with a bronze border. Two agglomerate strips (added) are fitted between the glass and the crosspieces on the sides. One of these is broken. The other two sides, which have no strips, show an oxidised iron surface with remnants of agglomerate material, suggesting that two other strips were previously present. Diego Giacometti (1902-1985) - Greek table Born into a dynasty of artists that included his father Giovanni, his brothers Alberto and Bruno and his cousin Augusto, Diego stood out for his ability to transform furniture into a work of art. Arriving in Paris in 1927, he joined Alberto and became both his favourite model and his outstanding practitioner. In the 1930s, they worked together on a furniture commission for interior designer Jean-Michel Frank, the result of which was radically modern. During this period, Diego lived in Alberto's shadow, but the Second World War marked a turning point for him: his older brother returned to Switzerland, while he stayed in Paris. This period of separation marked the start of his artistic emancipation, leading to his own visual language. He worked with major collectors and institutions, including Hubert de Givenchy and Elsa Schiaparelli, and took part in major commissions, notably for the Maeght Foundation and the Picasso Museum. These renowned clients are attracted by his unique personal work, which is a cross between sculpture and design. This Greek Table, made up of four straight uprights resting on disc-shaped legs linked by an X-shaped brace, is distinguished by its geometric lines. Diego also abandons his usual bestiary in favour of cleaner lines, both stylistic elements reinforcing the reference to Greek architecture. This echo of Greek antiquity is ultimately amplified by the raw, vibrant materiality of the hand-worked bronze with its brown patina, evoking an archaeological vestige. The Greek Table that Piguet has the privilege of auctioning comes from the collection of the Prouvost-Segard family, and most probably from the collection of Marguerite Ségard (1906-2000). By birth, she belonged to the powerful Prouvost family, whose economic growth and cultural influence had a profound impact on the 20th century. Her uncle, Jean Eugène Prouvost, made his mark on the French industrial landscape by developing La Lainière de Roubaix in 1911, which became the most modern spinning mill in Europe between the wars. In the post-war years, he also became a major figure in the French press, building a veritable media empire that included Le Figaro, Paris Match, Marie Claire and Paris Midi. Through her marriage in 1927 to Jacques Ségard (1901-1983), an industrialist and director of her uncle's company, Marguerite Segard joined another line of industrialists and notables from the north of France. She inherited this dual heritage and moved with her husband to the Hôtel de Bérulle in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. Living among Paris's industrial and cultural elite, the couple built up a large art collection, including works by Manet, Monet, Léger and Bonnard. At the end of the 20th century, the table adorned one of the lounges in the family mansion at 38 rue Fortuny, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. It was removed from the rue Fortuny when the family moved house, and stored in a furniture repository in Switzerland. Gradually forgotten over time, it remained hidden from view until it recently reappeared as part of an estate inventory.
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About the sale LIVE 1 to 37 - Precious objects - Paintings and sculptures
Auction location
Auction time 06/10/2026 at 6:00 PM
Pictures credits:
Piguet Hôtel des Ventes Genève
See original version (French)
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