Giorgio de Chirico, an Italian metaphysical painter, created a series of metaphysical paintings in the late 19th century. His works often depicted sparse environments and small crowded rooms filled with objects, which were a stark contrast to the sparse environments depicted in his earlier works.
One of his most famous works is “Great Metaphysical Interior”, which depicts an entire factory complex with a stark courtyard filled with eight or so individuals. This painting, owned by Surrealist poet Paul Éluard in the 1930s, was considered a model for exploring the unconscious through dream imagery. De Chirico’s work from this era was termed “Metaphysical Painting” by French poet and critic Guillaume Apollinaire and became fundamental to the development of Surrealism.
However, situating Giorgio de Chirico’s metaphysical works within his lifetime is complicated due to incomplete records, his practice of deliberately falsifying dates, and the difficulty in properly situating his works within his lifetime. His Metaphysical paintings had a profound influence on the painters of the Surrealist movement in the 1920s, and his work is known for its eerie mood and strange artificiality of cityscapes.
In summary, Giorgio de Chirico’s Metaphysical paintings, including his works like “Great Metaphysical Interior” and “Invincible”, have had a significant impact on the development of Surrealism.
📹 A Piazza in the Sun: The Paintings of Giorgio de Chirico
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bluemapessays Sources: https://www.moma.org/artists/1106 …
📹 A playlist to feel inside a Giorgio de Chirico painting
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I really have to commend you for your research on the inspiration and drive behind his art. I dont think I’ve ever seen that name pop out to me at any art museum I’ve been to in recent years, but now knowing of his work I’m enthralled and eager for more. As a huge fan of surrealist art it is a treat to see these preliminary experiments in the art world around painting the metaphysical, and how it tries to the developing philosophy of the time.
A moment in life might come when you realize the ‘materiality’ of the world, and it’s schoking. The quote at the end seems to point to that: that realization is hidden from us; but it is lurking in the shadows of everyone of us (and every empty Piazza). Nietzsche would have looked into the shadows…
Man i absolutely have 0 artistic talent and don’t even have the intention or interest of ever learning anything… BUT You and your articles here and on Rhystic are my only source of Art Culture, thanks to you and your articles i feel like at least i understand the soul of many paintings and works. Thank you, really .I owe you a lot for teaching me so much
Though I can’t really say I find his kind of paintings very interesting, I appreciate your work here. Thank you for exposing me to art that I would usually just look at and move on and make me think about it. But one thing I do not fully understand. When you mention his critizism of contemporary painters you state that he was of the opinion that those painters lacked in quality. What kind of quality did he mean?