Giorgio de Chirico
Blue-chip#39
Egon Investment Scores
Liquidity
8/10
How easily works can be bought and sold at auction
Institutional
10/10
Museum collections, biennials, and institutional recognition
Momentum
7/10
Recent price trends, gallery moves, and market buzz
Discovery
1/10
Undervaluation opportunity relative to peer artists
Risk
1/10
Investment risk factors — higher means more volatile
Market Position
- Pricing
- Price Ranges by Medium
- Sculpture
- Note: Small bronze sculptures from 1960s-1970s; Range: $5,000 - $50,000
- Works on Paper
- Range: $13 - $50,000+; Average 12 Months: $22,955
- Prints Lithographs
- Notable: Metamorphoses (1929) sets sold for £15,724 (2001), £13,550 (2005); Calligrammes (1930) set sold for £15,089 (2017); Complete Sets: up to $15,000; Individual Prints: $3,000 - $10,000
- Paintings Later Periods
- Note: Neo-baroque (1920s-1960s) and neo-metaphysical (1968-1978) less valued than early work; Range: $30,000 - $500,000
- Paintings Metaphysical Period 1910s
- Note: Most valuable period, works from 1909-1919 command highest prices; Range: $100,000 - $15,890,400
- Liquidity
- Liquidity
- Active secondary market with 50+ lots annually at major houses
- Seasonal Patterns
- Autumn typically strongest period for Modern European art sales
- Geographic Strength
- Italy (Milan, Rome) - traditional strengthNew York - strong results for museum-quality worksLondon - consistent demandParis - historical importance, steady market
- Auction History
- Work
- Il Pomeriggio di Arianna (Ariadne's Afternoon)
- Sale Date
- October 2020
- Amount USD
- $15,890,400
- Year Created
- 1913
- Auction House
- Sotheby's New York
- Previous Record
- Work
- Il Ritornante
- Sale Date
- 2009
- Amount USD
- $14,100,000
- Provenance
- Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé collection
- Year Created
- 1918
- Auction House
- Christie's
- Market Performance
- Annual Lots Sold
- 55 (past 36 months average)
- Price Trajectory
- Steady demand for early metaphysical works; record set in 2020 after 11 years; recent years show increasing appreciation for influence on Surrealism
- Sell Through Rate
- 33.3% (past 36 months)
- 12 Month Painting Average
- $281,731
- Total Auction Results Recorded
- 5,083+ artworks, 8,648+ price results
- Recent Sales 2024 2025
Work Date Price USD Auction House Performance Il trovatore November 2025 $863,600 Christie's exceeded high estimate Archeologi October 2025 $31,750 Christie's below estimate Rose October 2025 $114,300 Christie's exceeded high estimate Mobili nella valle April 2025 $220,500 Christie's above estimate Ettore e Andromaca April 2025 $327,600 Christie's exceeded high estimate Cavalli Antichi December 2024-January 2025 Christie's/Bonhams — - Authentication Complexity
- Challenges
- Artist created 'verifalsi' (true fakes) - backdated copies of early works throughout career
- Estimated 40-140 backdated paintings exist
- Artist deliberately denounced some authentic early works as forgeries
- One of top 10 most forged artists in history (2005 ARTnews survey)
- Multiple competing authentication bodies historically
- Market Trust
- Market 'absolutely trusts the foundation' per Christie's; backdated works treated as later works and priced accordingly
- Current Authentication
- Fondazione Giorgio e Isa de Chirico (Rome) - market standard; Archive for Metaphysical Art (Paolo Baldacci) - alternative scholarly authority
- Market Position
- Tier
- Blue-chip
- Market Positioning
- Segment
- Impressionist & Modern Art / Surrealism
- Comparables
- Precursor to Dalí, Magritte, Ernst - considered foundational to Surrealism but trades at lower multiples than major Surrealists
- Market Note
- Christie's deputy chairman states artist 'still undervalued in relation to Surrealism movement'
- Collector Profile
- Institutional buyers, serious collectors of Surrealism and Italian Modernism, academic collections
- Investment Outlook
- Risks
- Authentication complexity due to artist's own practicesPeriod-dependent pricing (1910s works vastly more valuable)Lower sell-through rate (33%) compared to top blue-chipsForgery concerns
- Strengths
- Blue-chip status with $15.9M auction recordDeep institutional validation (MoMA, Tate, major museums)Founder of major art movement (Metaphysical Art)Strong historical importance and influenceActive, liquid market
- Opportunities
- Undervalued relative to Surrealist peersGrowing recognition of influence on contemporary artStrong print market for accessible entry points
Institutional Presence
- Museum Collections
- Tier 1 Museums
Museum Status Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York — Tate Gallery, London Permanent collection Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice Permanent collection Art Institute of Chicago Permanent collection with prints from Metamorphosis series Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York — Centre Pompidou, Paris — National Gallery of Art, Washington DC — - Exhibition History
- Major Retrospectives
- Venue
- Museum of Modern Art, New York
- Years
- 1955 (James Thrall Soby)1982 (William Rubin)
- Significance
- Definitive American retrospectives
- Note
- Traveled from MoMA
- Year
- 1982
- Venue
- Tate Gallery, London
- Year
- 1981
- Title
- Giorgio de Chirico 1888-1978
- Venue
- Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Rome
- Year
- 1981
- Title
- La Metafisica - Museo documentario
- Venue
- Palazzo Massari, Ferrara
- Year
- 2024
- Title
- Giorgio De Chirico: Metaphysical Journey
- Venue
- Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
- Year
- 2019-2020
- Title
- Giorgio de Chirico. Metaphysical painting
- Venue
- Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris
- Biennial Participation
- Note
- Regular participant
- Event
- Venice Biennale
- First Participation
- 1924
- Recent Major Exhibitions 2024 2026
- Dates
- January 28, 2026 onwards
- Title
- Metafisica/Metafisiche
- Venue
- Multiple Milan venues (Palazzo Reale, Museo del Novecento, Grande Brera, Gallerie d'Italia)
- Significance
- 400+ works, Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics cultural program
- Dates
- February 2024 - January 2026
- Venue
- Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Bergamo
- Dates
- March 14 - August 17, 2025
- Title
- De Chirico and the Theatre
- Venue
- Serlachius Museums, Mänttä, Finland
- Dates
- November 29, 2025 - April 6, 2026
- Title
- Giorgio de Chirico. The Mechanics of Thought
- Venue
- Municipal Gallery, Monfalcone
- Dates
- December 29, 2025 - January 5, 2026
- Title
- Giorgio de Chirico. The Last Metaphysics
- Venue
- Modena
- Note on Validation
- Highest tier institutional presence with works in MoMA, Tate, Centre Pompidou, major international museums. Subject of major retrospectives and ongoing scholarly cataloguing projects.
- Tier 2 Major Museums
- Smithsonian InstitutionCleveland Museum of ArtVictoria & Albert MuseumSolomon R. Guggenheim MuseumGalleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, RomeMART (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto)Kunsthaus ZürichNational Gallery of Victoria, MelbourneOsaka City Museum of Modern ArtMusée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de ParisEstorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, LondonSaint Louis Art MuseumStaatsgalerie, StuttgartBarnes Collection, Philadelphia
- Permanent House Museum
- Name
- Giorgio de Chirico House Museum
- Opened
- November 20, 1998 (20th anniversary of death)
- Location
- Piazza di Spagna 31, Rome
- Collection
- 600+ works (paintings, sculptures, works on paper, theatre costumes)
- Foundation
- Fondazione Giorgio e Isa de Chirico established 1986 by widow Isabella Pakszwer Far
- Description
- Artist's apartment where he lived and worked 1948-1978
- Awards and Recognition
- Academic Recognition
- Monographs
- Years
- 1941 (The Early Chirico)1955 (Giorgio de Chirico)
- Author
- James Thrall Soby
- Publisher
- MoMA
- Year
- 1982
- Title
- De Chirico
- Author
- William Rubin
- Publisher
- MoMA
- Year
- 2014
- Title
- De Chirico: The Song of Love
- Author
- Emily Braun
- Publisher
- MoMA
- Catalogues Raisonnes
- Title
- Catalogo generale (original)
- Years
- 1971-1987
- Editor
- Claudio Bruni Sakraischik
- Volumes
- 8
- Publisher
- Electa, Milan
- Scope
- Volume 1: Late Romantic and Early Metaphysical Work (October 1908-February 1919)
- Title
- Catalogue raisonné of the work of Giorgio de Chirico
- Status
- Multi-volume project ongoing
- Editors
- Paolo Baldacci, Gerd Roos
- Publisher
- Umberto Allemandi
- Note
- Works not included in Bruni Sakraischik catalogue
- Title
- Giorgio de Chirico - Catalogue of Works
- Sponsor
- Fondazione Giorgio e Isa de Chirico
- Volumes
- Vol. 1 (2014): 450 works from 1912-1976Vol. 2 (2015)Vol. 3 (2016)Vol. 4 (2018): 451 works from 1913-1975
- Publisher
- Maretti Editore
- Total Works
- 1,831 works catalogued across 4 volumes
- Scholarly Publications
- Metafisica. Quaderni della Fondazione Giorgio e Isa de Chirico (academic journal, most recent issue 22-23, 2023)
- Nature journal article on technical analysis of metaphysical palette (May 2022)
Career & Biography
- Identity
- Birth
- Date
- July 10, 1888
- Context
- Born to Italian parents (Genoan mother, Sicilian father who was a railway engineer working in Greece)
- Location
- Vólos, Greece
- Death
- Age
- 90
- Date
- November 20, 1978
- Location
- Rome, Italy
- Family
- Spouses
- Raissa Gurievich Kroll (m. 1925, divorced)Isabella Pakszwer Far (m. 1930, until death 1978)
- Siblings
- Alberto Savinio (brother, composer and artist)
- Key Locations
- Athens (childhood)Munich (1906-1909)Florence (1909-1910)Turin (1911, brief but transformative visit)Paris (1911-1915)Ferrara (1915-1918, military service)Rome (1918-1925)Paris again (1925-1932)New York (1936-1938)Rome (1944-1978, Piazza di Spagna 31 from 1948)
- Alternative Names
- Giorgio di ChiricoG. de ChiricoDe Chirico, Giorgio
- Major Life Events
Year Event 1905 Father's death, family relocates to Munich 1911 Transformative visit to Turin, inspired metaphysical period 1911 Moved to Paris, joined brother Andrea Savinio 1913 First sale: 'The Red Tower' to Pablo Picasso 1914 Signed contract with art dealer Paul Guillaume 1915 Enlisted in Italian army, stationed at Ferrara 1917 Founded Scuola Metafisica with Carlo Carrà 1919 Published 'The Return of Craftsmanship', rejected modernism 1925 Married Russian ballet dancer Raissa Gurievich Kroll 1929 Published novel 'Hebdomeros'; designed for Diaghilev's ballet 'Le Bal' 1930 Met second wife Isabella Pakszwer Far 1948 Purchased apartment at Piazza di Spagna 31, Rome (now House Museum) 1974 Elected to French Académie des Beaux-Arts - Professional Roles
- PainterWriter (novelist, essayist, art theorist)Scenographer (stage and costume designer for ballet and opera)Printmaker (lithographer)Sculptor (primarily late career, 1960s-1970s)Illustrator
- Artistic Context
- Artistic Influences
- Arnold Böcklin (Symbolist painter)Max KlingerClassical Greek mythology and architecture
- Philosophical Influences
- Friedrich NietzscheArthur SchopenhauerOtto Weininger
Artistic Profile
- Style
- Signature Style Elements
- Artistic Signature
- Typically signed 'g. de Chirico' in various styles across career; often included dates (though reliability questioned due to backdating practice)
- Immediately Recognizable
- Empty piazzas with long shadowsMannequin figuresTrains in impossible urban contextsClassical statuary in modern settingsExaggerated perspectiveEerie, dreamlike atmosphereArcaded buildingsEnigmatic juxtapositions
- Evolution
- Critical Reception Evolution
- 1910s
- Revolutionary; praised by Apollinaire; admired by Picasso; foundational to emerging modernism
- 1920s
- Controversy over stylistic changes; Surrealists initially supportive then critical; market success for early work
- 1970s
- Continued commercial success for metaphysical works; artist productive until death at 90
- 1930s-1960s
- Early work remained in demand; later work comparatively dismissed; artist resented preference for early period
- 1980s-present
- Revival of interest in late work; recognition of influence on Neo-classicism; authentication complexities dominate discourse; sustained institutional and market interest
- Themes and Subjects
- Recurring Subjects
- Empty piazzas and deserted squaresClassical architecture (arcades, porticos, towers)Mannequins and faceless figuresClassical statues (Ariadne, gods, heroes)Horses (mythological and classical)Trains and locomotivesLong, irrational shadowsGladiators and ancient warriorsArchaeological fragmentsStill lifes with enigmatic objectsBiscuits, gloves, geometric instrumentsItalian piazzas and cityscapes
- Philosophical Themes
- Enigma and mystery of existenceMetaphysical insight beyond appearancesTime suspension and immobilityNostalgia and lossMemory and dreamsSolitude and estrangementClassical mythology meeting modern worldTense expectation and silence
- Movements and Periods
- Techniques and Mediums
- Color
- Early work: melancholic greens, ochres, deep shadows; Ferrara period: brighter colors; Late work: vibrant, playful palette
- Technique
- Oil on canvas primarily; tempera; watercolor; drawing; lithography; studied and documented traditional painting techniques in treatises
- Composition
- Flat, anonymous surfaces; sharp contrasts; geometric clarity; careful architectural construction
- Innovations
- Created Metaphysical painting movement combining everyday reality with mythology
- Pioneered use of mannequins as human substitutes in fine art (influenced by brother Savinio)
- Developed concept of 'metaphysical insight' into reality behind appearances
- Anticipated Surrealist exploration of subconscious by years
- Challenged concepts of originality and artistic authorship through 'verifalsi'
- Perspective
- Exaggerated one-point perspective; illogical, contradictory, drastically receding perspectives; distorted spatial relationships
- Pigments Documented
- Zinc white (early work)Lead whiteNaples yellowChrome yellowCadmium yellowVermilion (metaphysical period)Veronese greenPrussian blueCassel earthVine blackOchreBurnt umber
Critical Reception
- Critical Reception
- Research Focus
- Metaphysical period iconography and philosophyInfluence on SurrealismTechnical analysis of painting methodsAuthentication and dating issuesTheatre and costume designLiterary works (Hebdomeros novel)Relationship to classical antiquity and mythology
- Online Discourse
- Digital Presence
- Strong online presence across museum databases, auction platforms, scholarly resources
- Authentication Debates
- Active online discussion of forgeries, 'verifalsi', authentication controversies
- Academic Interest
- Sustained high-level scholarly attention; subject of ongoing cataloguing projects, technical analysis, exhibition catalogues
- Critical Position
- Critical Controversy
- Rejection of modernism in 1919 essay 'The Return of Craftsmanship' disappointed Surrealists and avant-garde
- Later work (neo-Baroque, neo-classical styles) criticized during lifetime
- Surrealists attacked him for abandoning metaphysical style
- Contemporary scholars struggle with authentication due to artist's 'verifalsi' practice
- Historical Significance
- Founder of Metaphysical Art movement (Scuola Metafisica, 1917); precursor and major influence on Surrealism
- Contemporary Reassessment
- Late works experiencing revival since 1980s with Neo-classicism interest
- Influence acknowledged by diverse artists including Andy Warhol
- Neo-metaphysical late period (1968-1978) receiving renewed scholarly attention
- Recognized as architect of urban space and influence on Situationists
- Contemporary Reception 1910s
- Discovered and championed by Guillaume Apollinaire (1913): 'The art of this young painter is an inner and cerebral one'
- Noticed by Pablo Picasso
- Praised by André Breton, Paul Éluard, Jean Paulhan
- Writings by Artist
Title Year Significance Type Hebdomeros, the Metaphysician 1929 Considered one of finest examples of Surrealist literature despite artist's rejection of Surrealism Novel The Return of Craftsmanship 1919 Denounced modernism, advocated return to classical techniques Essay Petit traité de technique de peinture 1928 — — Memorie della mia vita 1945 (Part 1) — Autobiography — — — — - Influence on Other Artists
- Direct Influence
- Carlo Carrà (co-founder Scuola Metafisica)Giorgio MorandiFilippo de PisisAlberto Savinio (brother)
- Surrealist Influence
- André Breton (called him 'torchbearer of new modern mythology')Salvador DalíRené MagritteMax ErnstYves Tanguy
- Contemporary Influence
- Andy Warhol (admired kitsch quality and repetition)Edward Hopper (compared for empty spaces, shadows, silence)Situationists and Lettrists (urban vision)Contemporary sculptors: Juan Muñoz, Katharina Fritsch (statue placement concepts)
- Publications and Media
- Documentary Coverage
- Films
- Various documentaries on Metaphysical Art and Surrealism feature his work
- Exhibition Films
- Major retrospectives accompanied by film documentation
- Major Publications About Artist
Coverage Publication Regular coverage of authentication issues and market analysis Art Newspaper — FAD Magazine — MOUSSE Magazine — ArtDaily Extensive artist profile, market analysis, authentication features Artsy — New York Times 2005 survey identified as one of top 10 most forged artists ARTnews
Gallery & Representation
- Representation
- Status
- Historical artist (died 1978)
- Copyright
- Managed by SIAE (Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori)
- Estate Management
- Fondazione Giorgio e Isa de Chirico, Rome
- Historical Dealers
Year Gallery — Galerie Paul Guillaume, Paris — Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York 1925 Léonce Rosenberg's Galerie l'Effort Moderne, Paris 1927 Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Paris 1928 Arthur Tooth Gallery, London 1928 Valentine Gallery, New York - Auction House Presence
- Major Houses
- Christie's (Impressionist & Modern Art department)Sotheby's (Impressionist & Modern Art department)PhillipsBonhams
- Regional Strength
- Dorotheum, ViennaItalian regional houses (Finarte, Farsetti Arte, etc.)
- Fair Participation
- Historical presence at major fairs through galleries representing estate and secondary market
- Secondary Market Galleries
Focus Gallery — Gagosian Prints and editions Plazzart Prints from 1920s Galerie Orlando Various periods Tornabuoni Art
- Geographic Reach
- Prints
- 43 galleries currently listing works on major platforms; edition sizes typically 50-100 prints
- Authentication
- Required for any transaction; market relies on Fondazione certification
- Primary Market
- Not applicable (deceased artist)
- Secondary Market
- Active market with regular auction offerings; prints and editions most available; major metaphysical paintings rare ('come up once every five years or so' per Christie's)
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