甫踏進著名時裝設計師于貝爾·德·紀梵希 (Hubert de Givenchy)與菲利普·維納特(Philippe Venet)位於巴黎Rue de Grenelle家中的前廳，便能看到阿爾伯托·賈克梅蒂(1901-1966)創作的《行走的女人》。這件青銅雕塑傑作是紀梵希的客戶兼好友、知名美國藏家邦妮·梅隆(Bunny Mellon)送贈的禮物。

The Woman Walking by Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) greeted visitors to the first drawing room in Hubert de Givenchy and Philippe Venet’s Parisian home on Rue de Grenelle. This bronze, a masterpiece of the artist, was a gift to Hubert de Givenchy from the great American collector Bunny Mellon, a client who became a very close friend.

佳士得呈獻紀梵希珍藏的首批重要拍品。這批珍藏帶來逾1,200件來自十七至二十世紀的珍品，當中近800件為巧奪天工的法國和歐洲家具，包括從法國攝政時期到新古典主義時期及以後的多件古典家具傑作。

Christie’s unveils the first major works from Hubert de Givenchy’s collection. With over 1,200 lots dating from the 17th to the 20th century, this collection features a remarkable gathering of nearly 800 pieces of French and European furniture, including many masterpieces of classical furniture from the French Regency period to the Neoclassical period and onwards.

Why it matters:
于貝爾·德·紀梵希佈置家居時，總會考慮家具與古典及現代藝術品之間的對話。除了于貝爾·羅伯特(Hubert Robert)等古典大師的重要雕塑和畫作外，他的珍藏亦包括多件現代藝術傑作：紀梵希好友兼合作夥伴阿爾伯托·賈克梅蒂(Alberto Giacometti)的《行走的女人》、從未於市場亮相的胡安·米羅(Joan Miro)重要畫作、阿爾伯托弟弟迪亞哥·賈克梅蒂(Diego Giacometti)的多件力作以及克勞迪奧·布拉沃(Claudio Bravo)和弗朗索瓦格扎維埃·拉蘭內(François-Xavier Lalanne)的當代佳作。

In the decoration of his homes, Hubert de Givenchy always considered the furniture in constant dialogue with the works of art, both ancient and modern. Alongside numerous major sculptures and paintings by old masters such as Hubert Robert, the collection includes several masterpieces of modern art: from the couturier’s friend and collaborator Alberto Giacometti’s Woman Walking, a key painting by Joan Miró never before presented on the market, several works by Alberto’s brother, Diego Giacometti and more contemporary works by Claudio Bravo and François-Xavier Lalanne.

4 Highlights:
．《行走的女人》是阿爾伯托·賈克梅蒂構思的第一件以行走人物為題的雕塑，他於1932至1936年的超現實主義時期製作最初的石膏版本，而是次拍賣的銅像則是由Fiorini鑄造廠於1955年鑄造的首批作品之一。在完成此作原版後，阿爾伯托·賈克梅蒂直到戰後才回歸到行走人物的主題，而此主題亦見證了他的成熟風格。估價：歐元20,000,000-30,000,000。
．胡安·米羅於1968年創作的畫作《候鳥的通道》。在大型畫布上，藝術家以誇張大膽的手法添上藍色、一個白點和一條純黑色線條，描繪出其對無限的追求及對沉思過程的享受。這些特點令此作與他於1925至1927年期間創作的《夢畫》系列相似。此畫於完成後不久便由菲利普·維納特透過邦妮·梅隆買下，從未離開過二人的居所，紀梵希於晚年時更將畫作掛在其睡房內。估價：歐元2,500,000 – 3,500,000。
．巴布羅·畢加索(Pablo Picasso)於1947年創作的大型黑色粉筆紙本素描《拿著長矛的農牧神》，靈感源於羅馬神話，帶有畢加索素描作品的經典線條，為拉丁古典時期風格及其對後世的影響增添現代魅力。作品掛在Rue de Grenelle大宅的
第一間客廳內，在古典家具環繞下，這個調皮的神話人物顯得非常自在。估價：歐元1,500,000 – 2,500,000。
．《酒神巴克斯》這件古典雕塑傑作一直陪伴著紀梵希，作品靈感很可能源自羅浮宮內的一尊二世紀大理石雕塑。這尊《酒神巴克斯》很可能是單次鑄造而成，原來應是吉拉東為凡爾賽宮庭院構想的阿波羅浴場中心人物雕像之一。這件雕塑將會連同 路易十四時期底座一同拍賣，印證紀梵希對這個黃金時代的鑑賞品味。估價：歐元1,500,000 – 2,500,000。

．The Woman Walking by Alberto Giacometti was the first sculpture conceived by the artist to use the motif of a walking figure. The original plaster version was made by Alberto Giacometti in 1932-1936 during his surrealist period. The proposed bronze was among the firsts cast by Fiorini in 1955. After this sculpture, the artist would not come back to the theme of the figure on the move until after the war, and this subject would mark his mature work. Estimate €20,000,000-30,000,000.
．Joan Miró juxtaposes in The Passage of the Migratory Bird a blue monochrome, a white spot and a line of dense and pure black, illustrating a quest for infinity and a meditative process dear to Miró. These characteristics make this work similar to the series of Dream Paintings he executed between 1925 and 1927. Acquired shortly after its creation through the intermediary of Bunny Mellon, the painting, owned by Philippe Venet, never left the walls of their successive residences and was to always hung by Hubert de Givenchy in his bedroom during the last years of his life. Estimate €2,500,000-3,500,000.
．Inspired from Roman mythology, the line of Pablo Picasso’s large black chalk drawing on paper, Faun with a Spear, made in 1947, is emblematic of the artist’s drawing, which gave a modern appeal to Latin Antiquity and its influence through the centuries. This mischievous character looks very much at ease among pieces of period furniture as he welcomes visitors to the first drawing-room in the Rue de Grenelle. Estimate €1,500,000-2,500,000.
．Hubert de Givenchy never parted with this masterpiece of classical sculpture, probably inspired by a 2nd century marble in the Louvre. Probably the result of a single casting, this Bacchus concentrates all of François Girardon’s intentions for the central figure of the Baths of Apollo created for the Park of the Château de Versailles. Testifying to Hubert de Givenchy’s enduring taste for the Grand Siècle, the work will be sold with its Louis XIV period base. Estimate €1,500,000-2,500,000.

Background – Hubert de Givenchy:
于貝爾·德·紀梵希是法國時尚設計師，曾就讀法國美術學院。最著名是創立與他同名的時尚品牌紀梵希（Givenchy），不過該品牌現時已由LVMH擁有。他曾多次為荷里活著名女星柯德莉·夏萍設計她戲裏及戲外的衣服。其中最為著名的設計是赫本在電影《第凡內早餐》中的黑色禮服。紀梵希的多年合作夥伴Philippe Venet於2018年3月12日表示，這位法國知名服裝設計師，3月10日於睡夢中辭世，享耆壽91歲。

Hubert de Givenchy was a French aristocrat and fashion designer who founded the house of Givenchy in 1952. He is famous for having designed much of the personal and professional wardrobe of Audrey Hepburn and clothing for Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1970.

（Source: Wikipedia）

Final Tips:
《行走的女人》見證了紀梵希與邦妮·梅隆因為同樣熱愛當代藝術和園藝而惺惺相惜的深厚友誼。二人曾經交換許多附有迪亞哥簽名的禮物，因為邦妮·梅隆是迪亞哥最重要的贊助人之一。

The Woman Walking testifies to the deep friendship that united Bunny Mellon and Hubert de Givenchy, based on their common passions for contemporary art and gardens. During their long friendship they exchanged numerous gifts signed by Diego, Mrs Mellon being one of the most important patrons of the artist.

Touring Exhibition
2022.4.8 – 4.13 in New York
2022.4.27 – 4.29 in Los Angeles
2022.5.23 – 5.27 in Hong Kong
2022.6.8 – 6.15 in Paris

Auction
2022.6.14 – 6.17 in Paris
2022.6.8 – 6.23 online

Courtesy to Christie’s