Giorgio de Chirico: 5 Key Works and the Paradox of a Modernist Who Hated Modernism

Giorgio de Chirico (1888–1978), an Italian noble born in Greece, crafted surreal cities inspired by his childhood memories, dreams, and personal experiences. His father, Evariste de Chirico, a Sicilian baron and railroad engineer, shaped his recurring themes of trains and stations. De Chirico, who read Freud, contemplated childhood and sexuality while expressing disdain for modern art, labeling it as one of the two major failures of contemporary society, alongside Nazism. Nevertheless, he pioneered Metaphysical painting, which later impacted Surrealism. His notable works include 'The Child’s Brain' (1914), bought by André Breton; 'Gare Montparnasse (The Melancholy of Departure)' (1914); and 'The Mystery and Melancholy of a Street' (1948). He drew inspiration from Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, and the architecture of Turin, passing away in 1978 with his early period being particularly significant.