The Enigma of Giorgio De Chirico

by Margaret Crosland

This biography of Giorgio de Chirico reveals that the artist considered himself more of a metaphysical painter than a surrealist. I think this provides a clue to a more interesting perspective on his work, that his paintings should be viewed as explorations of philosophical mysteries rather than the haunting imagery of dreams. The author also frequently points out that Giorgio de Chirico's paintings bring the real and the unreal together. In a philosophical context, this is not the same as saying they represent the surreal.

Genres: Art

158 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1998

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have often looked a the paintings of de Chirico, at the open shadowed deserted plazas, the empty faced mannequin faces, the formless statuaries which tugged at me with wonder and curiosity. I picked up this book to clear up some of the mystery. It didn't do much of that, instead I got a brief, sparse biography of the artist with very little insight. What was interesting is that at the end of his life, he copied his early pictures, and selling them without admitting to them being copies.