LAMAMIMET

Herbert C. Lust was an American art collector, investment banker, and art scholar renowned for his deep connection to the art world, particularly through his friendship with Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti. Born in 1926 in Indiana, Lust pursued a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Chicago before moving to Paris on a Fulbright Scholarship. While studying comparative literature at the Sorbonne, he met Giacometti, beginning a significant personal and professional relationship. Upon returning to the U.S., Lust initially taught English at the University of Chicago before transitioning to a career in investment banking, which enabled him to begin collecting modern and contemporary art in earnest. Over the decades, he amassed an impressive collection that included works by Giacometti, Alexander Calder, and Robert Indiana, among others. His home in Greenwich, Connecticut, and his Manhattan pied-à-terre served as repositories for over 1,000 artworks. Lust was also a generous donor, contributing over 200 Giacometti works to the Tel Aviv Museum and a significant number of photographs to the Hirshhorn Museum. In addition to his collecting, Lust was a writer and scholar, publishing both fiction and non-fiction, including the novel "Violence and Defiance" and several works on Giacometti, such as "Giacometti: The Complete Graphics and 15 Drawings". His scholarly contributions extended to writings on Hans Bellmer, Robert Indiana, and Carlotta Corpron. Lust's legacy endures through his art collection, his writings, and his role in preserving and promoting the work of major 20th-century artists.