Bust of Diego
- Artist: Alberto Giacometti
- Date: 1955
- Medium: Bronze
- Dimensions: object: 565 x 320 x 145 mm, 8.8 kg
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the “Bust of Diego” by Alberto Giacometti. Created in 1955, it’s a bronze portrait of the sculptor’s brother Diego, who sat for the piece and often assisted in the studio. Giacometti began the bust from life, then refined it from memory—a technique he used for a series of narrow‑headed, high‑peaked profile busts throughout the 1950s. The sculpture weighs about 8.8 kg and stands just over half a meter tall. It captures the quiet intensity of a close family relationship while showcasing Giacometti’s precise sculptural language. The work was acquired in 1965 with the help of the Friends of the Tate Gallery and remains a striking example of how personal connection can shape an artist’s technical approach.
See it in person
Bust of Diego is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
