« Chirico » in « Le surréalisme et la peinture », Breton, Gallimard, Paris 1965
« Giorgio de Chirico », G. Legrand, Filipacchi, Paris, 1975
« Giorgio de Chirico », L. Far, Livre de Paris, Paris, 1975
« Giorgio de Chirico, Parigi », M. F. dell'Arco & P. Baldacci, Milan, 1982
To read from the artist :
« Mémoires de ma vie », 1962
Catalogue(s) raisonné(s)
*« Catalogue complet de l'oeuvre », 24 vol, C. Bruni, Electa Editrice, Venise - Milan *« Catalogue de l'oeuvre gravé, période 1921 à 1969 », A. Ciranna, Ciranna Editions, Milan, 1969 *« De Chirico, Catalogue de l'oeuvre », 7 vol., C. Bruni, Electa Editrice, Venise, 1971 *« Catalogue de l'oeuvre peint, période de 1924 à 1929 », M. F. dell'Arco et P. Baldacci, Milan, 1982 *« L'oeuvre complète de Giorgio de Chirico », M. F. dell'Arco, Rizzoli Editore, Milan, 1984 *« Catalogue de l'oeuvre gravé de 1969 à 1977 », E. Brandani, P. Bonfiglioli, et G. di Genova, Bologne, 1990 *« Catalogo dell'opera grafica », Vol. I, A. Vastano, Ed. Bora, Bologne, 1996 *« Catalogo dell'opera grafica », Vol. II, E. Brandani, Ed. Bora, Bologne, 1999
SURREALISM/1924-1969 / Oscar Dominguez, Marcel Duchamp, René Magritte, Yves Tanguy, etc. ITALIAN NOVECENTO/1922-1933 / Massimo Campigli, Carlo Carrà, Felice Casoratti, Filippo De Pisis, Giorgio Morandi, Gino Severini, Mario Sironi, etc.
Giorgio de Chirico was born in 1888 in Volos (Greece). Very early, he followed drawing studies to the polytechnic School of Athens, then, from 1906 to 1908, he studied to the Beaux-Arts Academy of Munich. Since 1910, his readings of Nietzsche and his books had an influence on de Chirico when he created his first self-portraits and metaphysics landscapes.
From 1911 to 1915, he settled down in Paris, and exhibited his works in various yearly Salons. With the war, de Chirico was mobilized at the military hospital of Ferrara; he met there Carlo Carrà and Filippo De Pisis. At the end of the war the artist settled down in Rome where he took part in the exposures of “Valori plastici”. His first personal exhibition was organized in 1919. The surrealist artists particularly appreciated his “metaphysical painting” which precedes paintings of their movement.
De Chirico created a work from where emerged a world of nostalgic mystery. From the Twenties, the artist used a more traditional composition, with techniques of the old Masters (glacis, distemper, etc). He lived again in Paris for 5 years (1924 to 1929). In 1926, he joined the movement of Novecento which defended an opinion against the modernism; he was criticized and most of his artistic relations would turned the back on him.
De Chirico used the topic of the double in canvases where he was painted near his mother, his brother or with mirrors. He also composed characters of Greek mythology, portraits, horses, and still life paintings he named “quiet lives”. De Chirico liked to blurred the charts of his own art, creating the enigma which would be his mark. He made pastiche of himself. Giorgio de Chirico illustrated several works (Apollinaire, Cocteau, Eluard, etc), created decorations and costumes for the opera, wrote (Romance, short proses). Artists like Ernst, Yves Tanguy, Dali or Magritte underlined the influence which he had on them.
De Chirico used the topic of the double in canvases where he was painted near his mother, his brother or with mirrors. He also composed characters of Greek mythology, portraits, horses, and still life paintings he named “