Jacqueline Lamba and Alberto Giacometti, an unfailing friendship

Picture of Jacqueline Lamba and André Breton’s wedding, by Man Ray, 1934

Jacqueline Lamba and Alberto Giacometti’s friendship

Jacqueline met the sculptor when she joined the Surrealist group on 29th May 1934 – the day she met André Breton. The friendship between the two artists was immediate and strong. Alberto, a regular visitor to the rue Fontaine, was even the best man at their wedding on 14th August of the same year, alongside Paul Éluard.

Wedding announcement, 1934

Lamba was the inspiration for Breton’s poem L’air de l’eau, illustrated by Giacometti.

Despite Giacometti’s expulsion in February 1935, the two continued to see each other, thanks to Dora Maar – Jacqueline’s best friend at the time – and Picasso, who were close to Giacometti until 1941. Simone de Beauvoir, in La Force de l’âge, recounts their frequent meetings at the Café de Flore before the war. Around Giacometti, Dora Maar and Sonia Mossé: ‘Sometimes Jacqueline Breton would make an appearance, her shells on her ears, her eyes bristling with prickles, waving her hands with provocative nails in a clatter of bracelets’.

She reunited with Giacometti after their respective exiles. Although the sculptor declined the invitation to take part in the exhibition Surrealism in 1947, where Jacqueline presented some rare works, they happily met again at the Giacometti exhibition at the Maeght gallery in June 1951.

They regularly meet at her place, rue Gay Lussac as from 1955 or boulevard Bonne Nouvelle after 1964. Or at his place, rue Hyppolite Maindron.

Jacqueline Lamba will introduce Yves Bonnefoy à to Giacometti in the 1950’s. Further to which the poet will write various texts on the sculptor, and especially a biography in 1991.

Jacqueline and Alberto participate “together” (posthumous for the sculptor) to the review L’Éphémère, published by Maeght Gallery and edited by Yves Bonnefoy – among others – betwen 1967 and 1971.

A friendship recognised by the Giacometti Foundation which exhibits sketches of L’air de l’eau, a picture of Jacqueline Lamba and André Breton’s wedding and organises a screening of Fabrice Maze’s film on Jacqueline Lamba on 8th February 2022 (details in News)

Find out more

• Page of Fondation Giacometti about Alberto Giacometti / André Breton. Amitiés surréalistes (19th January to 10th April 2022).
• Page of Fondation Giacometti about the screening of Jacqueline Lamba in partnership with Association Atelier André Breton and Collection Phare.