description Man Pointing Overview
*Man Pointing* (French: *L'Homme au doigt*) is a 1947 bronze sculpture by Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti. The roughly six-foot-tall work depicts a dramatically elongated, emaciated male figure isolated on a base, capturing the existentialist post-war aesthetic for which Giacometti is known. It is recognized as a significant work of modern sculpture and famously sold at auction in 2015 for roughly $141.3 million.
help Man Pointing FAQ
How tall is Alberto Giacometti's Man Pointing sculpture?
Man Pointing (L'Homme au doigt) stands approximately 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall, though the figure's elongated proportions make it appear taller. The bronze work was cast in 1947 and is one of Giacometti's most recognized sculptures.
Where is Giacometti's Man Pointing located and what record did a cast set?
Several casts of Man Pointing exist in major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2015, a bronze cast reportedly sold at Christie's for approximately $141.3 million, making it one of the most expensive sculptures ever sold at auction.
What does Man Pointing by Giacometti represent?
The sculpture depicts a dramatically elongated, emaciated male figure standing alone and pointing toward an unseen subject. Art historians interpret it as reflecting postwar existentialist anxieties about isolation, meaning, and the human condition following World War II.
Why are Giacometti's figures so thin and elongated?
Giacometti's emaciated figures emerged from his postwar artistic philosophy that reality is perceived at a distance, where people appear reduced and stretched. His approach was influenced by existentialism and his belief that art should capture how we actually see rather than how objects objectively are.
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