Giacometti's attraction to the early primitive figure has always been present in his work. In particular, he had discovered the ancient Etruscan art and archaeology department of the Louvre, of which he was a regular.

Yet, the true revelation occurred during a major exhibition on the Etruscans presented by the Louvre in 1955, which caused the artist considerable emotional upheaval. This provides one of the essential keys to understanding the source of his most famous and strongest creation: the “filiform figure”.

 

Obviously, confrontation serves not only to grasp the aesthetic influence that the filiform figure of “The Shadow of the Evening”, the Etruscan masterpiece showcased, might have had on the art of Giacometti. More importantly, it is about reflecting on this profound encounter, as the clash of two worlds, two aesthetics, and two philosophies.