A fascinating collection of Alberto Giacometti's lesser-known printmaking works is now on display at Basel's Rittergasse 21-25, offering visitors a rare glimpse into the renowned Swiss sculptor's graphic artistry. The exhibition, organized by art platform For Art under curator Klaus Littmann, features an extensive selection of lithographs and etchings from the private collection of gastronomer and hotelier Carlos Gross.
The show takes place in three historic townhouses spanning over 2,500 square meters, temporarily utilized by For Art until the end of 2028. These buildings, owned by Suva and previously leased by private bank Vontobel, became available after the bank relocated to the Grosspeter Tower. Littmann, a Basel-based artist and curator, transformed the space into an open venue for artistic dialogue and encounters, focusing on drawing, collecting, installations, and environmental art.
While most people associate Giacometti with his iconic bronze sculptures of elongated, emaciated walking figures, this exhibition reveals another dimension of the world-renowned Graubünden artist. The comprehensive display showcases Giacometti's technical skills as a draftsman and provides insight into the mind of collector Carlos Gross, who made acquiring Giacometti works a lifelong mission.
Littmann discovered the collection by chance during a stay at Gross's hotel in Sent. "I saw photos of Giacometti and asked Gross about them," Littmann recalls. "It turned out he had made collecting Giacometti images a kind of life's work and had a large portion of Giacometti's printmaking stored in his basement. I found it incredible." After previous exhibitions in Italy and Klagenfurt, the collection has now found its way to Basel's old town.
The exhibition's centerpiece is Giacometti's lithographic portfolio "Paris sans fin" (Paris Without End), considered the culmination of his printmaking work. This remarkable collection consists of 150 numbered drawings created between 1958 and 1965 in the French capital. The images capture everyday Parisian life through various perspectives, featuring street lamps, doorways, shop windows, book stacks, and people from all possible angles. Giacometti even sketched a dinosaur at the Natural History Museum.
These drawings, displayed on the upper floor of the townhouses, are arranged like film strips and possess a directness that makes them appear like stills from a 1960s road movie. This cinematic quality is not coincidental – in 1958, Giacometti met a young prostitute named Caroline in Paris. He bought her a red MG sports car, and she would drive him through Paris while he sketched from the passenger seat, creating these spontaneous urban observations.
According to art historian and For Art team member Isabel Zürcher, the exhibition not only showcases Giacometti's technical abilities and character but also allows visitors to understand collector Gross's mindset. "When you walk through the exhibition, you begin to wonder what kind of personality wanted to be so at home with this handwriting," Zürcher explains. She recommends an immediate, subjective reading of the images, suggesting that "perhaps you perceive yourself and your own gaze differently when you walk through the city afterward."
The exhibition opened on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at 6 PM, and is accessible every Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 6 PM, as well as by appointment. Admission is free, making this unique exploration of Giacometti's graphic work accessible to all art enthusiasts. The display represents the first regular exhibition in the repurposed space, marking the beginning of For Art's programming in these historic Basel buildings.
