GIOVANNI GIACOMETTI (1868-1933)
Piz Balzet (2, 869 m - 9,413 ft)
Punta de l'Albigna (2,825 m - 9,268 ft)
Spazzacaldeira (2,487 m- 8,159 ft)
Switzerland
In Albigna Valley, oil on canvas, 1932
The Mountains
The Piz Balzet (2, 869 m - 9,413 ft) is a tall granite mountain located in
Bergell, Switzerland. Standing just on the eastern edge of the Albigna
reservoir it is clearly visible when driving down from the Maloja-pass
to the north and from the campsite at Vicosoprano. Seen from this (its
western) side the Balzet is an imposing picture; very steep slabs fall
off into the valley and several ridges make their way to the well
defined summit. A different picture entirely is presented when the
mountain is viewed from its southern side; from this side there are no
steep drops to valley floors far below. Instead, it is 'merely' a summit
in the ridge leading up to the Piz Bacun (3,244m).
The Punta da l'Albigna (2,825 m - 9,268 ft) is an easily recognizable summit on the eastern side of the Albigna lake in the Bergell, an area in south-eastern Switzerland famous for its multitude of alpine rock climbs on excellent granite. Along with the Spazzacaldeira and the Piz Balzet, the Punta da l'Albigna ranks among the most popular climbing hotspots in the Albigna area. It hosts numerous routes from 4a to 5c and varying in length between 8 and 12 ropelengths. Most of the routes are bolted, though some rather sparingly
Spazzacaldeira (2,487 m- 8,159 ft) is the name of the ridge directly west of the Albigna reservoir, just to the north of the Al Gal.
It offers a multitude of alpine-sport routes across its eastern face
and the north-east ridge is a well known classic in the area. Because of
the generally well bolted nature of the routes and the incredibly easy
access via the nearby cable car station, Spazzacaldeira can attract a
large number of climbers. Most of them will be aiming for the summit
pinnacle, the famous Fiamma, a striking summit spire seen on many local postcards.
The painter
Giovanni Giacometti was a Swiss painter, the father of the famous painter and sculptor Alberto Giacometti, and of Diego Giacometti, the furniture designer as well as the father of the architect Bruno Giacometti ! In 1886, he studied painting at the School of Decorative Arts in Munich, where he met Cuno Amiet the following year. Both decide to pursue their studies in Paris, in October stood at the Académie Julian, where Giacometti remains until 1891.
In 1893, shortly after his return to Switzerland, to Bergell, he became friends with Giovanni Segantini, his eldest ten years, which has great influence on his work by opening it to the beauty of the mountain scenery and the rules of divisionism. After his sudden death in 1899, Giacometti met Ferdinand Hodler, who teaches him to create a rigorous and ornamental composition by appropriate use of shapes and colors.
He sees regularly Cuno Amiet, who after a year spent in Pont-Aven, shared his experience with him. In 1900 he exhibited in the Swiss Pavillon of the Universal Exhibition in Paris. From 1905, Giacometti works again in a great complicity with Amiet and begins to break free from the influence of Segantini. In 1906, held an exhibition of his work at Kunstlerhaus Zurich. In 1907 he went to Paris with Amiet to the Cézanne retrospective at the Salon d'Automne. They copy all the works of Van Gogh. In 1908, he exhibited with the French Fauves at the Richter Gallery in Dresden.
In 1909, the Tannhauser Gallery presents his works in Munich. He meets Alexi von Jawlensky, and in 1911 participates in the Berlin Secession. In 1912, Giacometti has a solo show at the Kunsthaus Zurich presents two works in the Sonderbund of Cologne. In 1918 after Hodler' s death, he began to be involved into the Swiss political world paying an important part as a committed artist, following int that way friend Amiet.
___________________________
2021 - Wandering Vertexes...
by Francis Rousseau
