Artwork
Figuren unter Bäumen. Studie für die Bemalung des Ofens in Stampa
Figuren unter Bäumen. Studie für die Bemalung des Ofens in Stampa is an unspecified painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Giovanni Giacometti. It dates from 1907 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich.
About this work
Overview
Giovanni Giacometti’s 1907 canvas, titled *Figuren unter Bäumen. Studie für die Bemalung des Ofens in Stampa*, is a preparatory work intended for a decorative stove commission. The painting resides in the permanent collection of Kunsthaus Zürich and exemplifies the artist’s engagement with post‑impressionist concerns about color and form.
Subject & Meaning
The scene presents three women positioned in a garden setting, each clothed in a distinct, saturated dress—red, blue, and purple. They are arranged among trees whose foliage has turned yellow, with one figure holding a rake, suggesting a leisurely, perhaps domestic activity within a natural environment.
Technique & Style
Executed with loose, expressive brushstrokes, the work foregrounds vivid hues against a dominant green background. The handling of paint reflects post‑impressionist tendencies toward bold coloration and dynamic surface texture, conveying a sense of movement and immediacy.
History & Provenance
Created as a study for the painted decoration of a stove in the Swiss village of Stampa, the canvas later entered the holdings of Kunsthaus Zürich, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s representation of early 20th‑century Swiss art.
Context
Giacometti, a central figure in Swiss modernism, produced this work during a period when artists were exploring alternatives to academic realism. The study aligns with contemporary experiments in integrating fine‑art painting with applied decorative projects, a practice common among post‑impressionist circles.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Ulrico Giacometti (7 March 1868 – 25 June 1933) was a Swiss painter. He was the father of artists Alberto and Diego Giacometti and architect Bruno Giacometti.
