Lugano
Early Life and Education
Giorgio de Chirico was born on July 10, 1888, in Volos, Greece, to Evaristo de Chirico, a railway engineer of noble Sicilian descent, and Gemma Cervetto, a noblewoman from Genoa. After his father died in 1906, de Chirico moved with his family to Munich, Germany. There, he attended the Academy of Fine Arts and deeply studied the works of artists like Arnold Böcklin and Max Klinger. His time in Munich introduced him to the philosophical ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Otto Weininger, which profoundly influenced his artistic development.
Paris and the Birth of Metaphysical Art
In 1909, de Chirico returned to Italy and joined his brother Andrea (later known as Alberto Savinio) in Paris in 1910. The city’s empty squares and sun-drenched architecture inspired de Chirico’s first metaphysical paintings, which he debuted at the Salon d’Automne in 1912. His artworks gained further recognition at the Salon des Indépendants in 1913, where he connected with the Cubist avant-garde and influential critic Guillaume Apollinaire. By 1914, the de Chirico brothers had established a presence in the United States art scene, thanks to Apollinaire’s international connections.
World War I and the Metaphysical Painting Movement
With the outbreak of World War I, Giorgio and Andrea returned to Italy and enlisted in the military. During this time, de Chirico further developed his concept of “metaphysical painting.” This artistic approach sought to transcend conventional reality, revealing deeper, often mysterious aspects of everyday life. By 1919, de Chirico began to reexplore classical art, drawing inspiration from museum masterpieces. His work from this period showed a renewed interest in ancient painting techniques and themes, while he also grew closer to the Surrealist movement.
Later Years and the Neometaphysical Period
In 1936, de Chirico travelled to New York, where his work was exhibited in numerous galleries and acquired by prominent collectors. The early 1940s marked the beginning of his Baroque phase, characterized by self-portraits in elaborate costumes and references to the great masters of the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1944, he settled permanently in Rome’s Piazza di Spagna. In his later years, de Chirico developed a new artistic phase known as Neometaphysics, revisiting and reinterpreting themes from his earlier works, such as archaeologists, mannequins, and gladiators. He continued this creative exploration until he died in Rome on November 20, 1978.
Exhibitions and Legacy
Giorgio de Chirico participated in major group exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (1942, 1948, 1956, 1972) and the Rome Quadriennale (1943, 1951, 1955, 1959, 1965, 1972). He also showcased his work at the Documenta I in Kassel in 1955. Notably, de Chirico held solo exhibitions in London and Venice in the early 1950s, where he challenged critics who focused solely on his Metaphysical period and the Biennale’s preference for abstract art. From 1970 onwards, de Chirico’s work was celebrated in numerous exhibitions, particularly in Italy, and he received significant recognition internationally.
