GIORGIO DE CHIRICO

From youth, de Chirico showed a strong inclination for art and philosophy. He studied painting at the Polytechnic of Athens and later at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he came into contact with the symbolist works of Böcklin and Klinger, fundamental for his future poetics. During his stay in Germany, he encountered the thought of Nietzsche and Schopenhauer, influences that constantly emerge in his paintings.
In 1909 Giorgio de Chirico settled in Italy, where he conceived the first artworks of the metaphysical series. In Florence, he painted The Enigma of an Autumn Afternoon, a key painting of his new style, in which enigmatic figures, classical architectures, and dreamlike atmospheres merge into a static and timeless scene. Thus was born metaphysical painting, an art "beyond physics," capable of revealing the hidden dimension of reality.
From 1911 to 1915, the painter De Chirico lived in Paris, where he frequented avant-garde circles and met Apollinaire, Picasso, and other artists. He participated in the Salons d’Automne and des Indépendants, where his artworks aroused the admiration of critics and poets. It was Apollinaire who first defined his art as "metaphysical."
During World War I, Giorgio de Chirico volunteered and was assigned to Ferrara. This period was fundamental for his artistic development. In the city, he met Carlo Carrà, with whom he elaborated the principles of metaphysical painting. The famous compositions with mannequins, deserted squares, still lifes, and geometric symbols were born. Classical architectures, combined with ordinary objects placed in unrealistic spaces, create a sense of disorientation that is the distinctive feature of de Chirico's painting.
After the war, the painter de Chirico participated in the Venice Biennale and the Rome Quadriennale. He lived in Paris, Rome, and New York, consolidating his international fame. In the 1930s, he progressively distanced himself from the metaphysical language and moved towards a more classical and baroque painting style, with portraits, self-portraits, and urban views, especially of his beloved Venice.
Throughout his career, Giorgio de Chirico alternated painting with writing and theoretical reflection. He published L'Hebdomeros, a surreal and visionary novel, and numerous essays on art. Despite criticism from the surrealists for his return to classicism, the painter de Chirico remained consistent with his vision, claiming the importance of tradition and technique.
In the '50s and '60s, he continued to paint metaphysical scenes, portraits, still lifes, and landscapes, showing technical mastery and a recognizable style. He also introduced sculpture and engraving into his production, particularly lithography, a technique with which he created many original artworks, especially prints of horses and still lifes, now highly appreciated by collectors.
He died in Rome in 1978, at the age of 90. His tomb is located in the church of San Francesco a Ripa. Today, the name Giorgio de Chirico is synonymous with enigmatic and profound art, which has been able to transcend time with unchanged intensity.

Giorgio De Chirico artworks

The corpus of Giorgio de Chirico's artworks is vast and includes paintings, drawings, sculptures, and prints, among which the famous lithographs. His first metaphysical canvases, such as The Disquieting Muses, The Nostalgia of the Infinite, The Great Metaphysician, and Hector and Andromache, are considered among the absolute masterpieces of 20th-century art.
The artworks of de Chirico are distinguished by the use of unreal perspectives, faceless mannequins, long shadows, and classical architectures. In de Chirico's paintings, every element is loaded with symbolism, every object is placed in a dimension outside of time, creating a suspended and mysterious atmosphere.
Alongside painting, de Chirico passionately devoted himself to graphic production. His lithographs are particularly sought after for their refinement and evocative subjects. Of great artistic value are the lithographs of de Chirico depicting still lifes and horses, often set in metaphysical or classical contexts. The horses, recurring in many of his artworks, symbolize primal strength, mythology, and journey: central themes in the painter's imagination.
His prints are today highly sought after by galleries and collectors, representing a perfect synthesis of his poetics: the arcane, the classical, and the incongruous. The artworks of Giorgio de Chirico are now found in the most important museums worldwide, including the MoMA in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Tate Modern in London, and the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome.

Giorgio De Chirico valuations

The art market has always shown great interest in the valuations of Giorgio de Chirico, particularly his artworks from the metaphysical period. The valuations of de Chirico vary greatly depending on the subject, technique, and era. Paintings made between 1910 and 1925 can easily exceed one million euros at international auctions.
In recent decades, even de Chirico's lithographs have seen a strong revaluation. The valuations of de Chirico's lithographs depend on the rarity of the edition, the quality of the print, and the state of preservation. Lithographs with classical subjects, particularly horses and still lifes, are among the most appreciated and sought after.
Today it is possible to purchase an original lithograph by Giorgio de Chirico at prices ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 euros, with higher peaks for particularly rare editions. Some authenticated prints of de Chirico preserved in excellent condition can reach up to 15,000 euros, especially if associated with prestigious galleries or museum exhibitions.
The market for Giorgio de Chirico's artworks is stable and continuously growing, thanks to the interest of collectors, critics, and investors. His artworks represent not only a cultural heritage of inestimable value but also a safe investment over time. Whether it is a de Chirico painting, a print, or a lithograph, every piece by the metaphysical master retains intact its aura of mystery and greatness.