Giacometti's Nose

Noses are a fascinating feature of the human face. How different we would appear without them.

One of the more distinctive sculptors of the modern era was the Swiss-born, Paris-based artist Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966). Though associated with the surrealist movement, I'd suggest he's pretty much simply is in a category of its own.

Is it a commentary on lying? (i.e. Pinocchio)

Is it a commentary on nosiness? On excessive curiosity?

Is it a commentary at all? Much like post-modernism, perhaps there is no real commentary or meaning to be found here at all.

* * * *
Noses are frequently used in figures of speech and common sayings. Here are a few examples:

"Cut off your nose to spite your face."

"Keep your nose to the grindstone."

"Keep a clean nose."

"Don't be so nosy."

"Curt got ahead by being a brown-nose."

"She couldn't see past the nose on her face."

"We don't like it when people look down their noses at us."

"I had to pay through the nose on that deal."

"It was as plain as the nose on his face."

* * * *
Noses feature in literature as well. Cyrano de Bergerac and Steve Martin's modern re-telling of this tragi-comic love story, Roxanne, both feature a main character with an unusually large schnozz. Alas.

I myself also wrote a story with a few reflections on noses, unambiguously titled "The Nose" which can also be found in my $.99 eBook collection of short stories, Newmanesque.

See more photos of Giacometti's Nose here or read more details about the two versions of this piece.

* * * *
Meantime, have a great day. It's all good.