Art Historian Paolo Baldacci, Leading Scholar of Giorgio de Chirico and Metaphysical Art, Dies at 81

Paolo Baldacci, a prominent art historian celebrated for his insights into Giorgio de Chirico and metaphysical art, passed away in Milan over the Easter weekend at the age of 81. He was born in Carate Brianza in June 1944 and dedicated his studies to de Chirico and Alberto Savinio, producing a comprehensive monograph on de Chirico's metaphysical phase in 1997. In early 2026, he released "L'altra modernità. De Chirico, Savinio e l'arte metafisica" and was in the process of writing a new biography of de Chirico. After leaving academia in 1990 to concentrate on art research, he previously taught ancient history and curated exhibitions on Italian art, co-founding the C.Ar.D Biennale in 2014. His research occasionally clashed with the Fondazione Giorgio e Isa De Chirico, and he was commemorated by Antonio Gnoli in La Repubblica.