De Chirico - Surrealism 4th Grade Art Project Northwood Elementary PTA Art Enrichment Program

Giorgio de Chirico Born on July 10, 1888, in Volos, Greece He was the son of an engineer from Palermo, Italy. The family settled in Athens, Greece where De Chirico studied art at the Polytechnic Institute. His earliest works were realistic looking landscapes and seascapes. 5

After the death of his father in 1905,De Chirico moved from Greece to Munich, Germany. He was interested in learning more about a particular style of painting called German Neo- Romantic. One particular artist whose style de Chirico really liked was a Swiss artist named Arnold Böcklin. This is self-portrait by Arnold Bocklin. Did you notice the skeleton hovering behind the artist? 6

This is a painting by Arnold Bocklin called “Isle of the Dead” What de Chirico loved about this sort of a painting was the combination of beautiful landscape with architectural elements. The painting looked like a sad, strange, fantasy world. De Chirico was intrigued by this style of painting.

Enigma of an Autumn Afternoon. In 1909 De Chirico went to Italy and began creating paintings that look a lot like this one below. This painting is called Enigma of an Autumn Afternoon. What do you think of this painting? Does the mood of this painting feel happy or sad? There are no plants or trees in the painting and it sort of feels like the hot sun is beating down on the statue and casting a shadow on the ground. De Chirico had to return to Italy for his military service and was stationed in Ferrara (1915-1918). The architecture of that city, really influenced de Chirico as well as meeting and befriending the painter Carlo Carrà at the military hospital in Ferrara in 1917. Together with Carlo Carra, they launched the metaphysical school of painting. This new style of painting created artwork that combined elements of nature and machine. And the artwork has a dreamlike quality to it and a feeling of sadness. 8

Do you see any similarities between the painting you just saw and this one? When Giorgio de Chirico exhibited at a showing of artists called the Salon des Indépendants in 1913, he was described as "the most astonishing painter of his time." 9

This painting by de Chirico is called “The Enigma of a Day” and was created in 1914. Like the other paintings we have looked at, this one is filled with empty spaces, no trees or plants, long shadows cast on the ground, buildings and statues and not many people. The perspective in Giorgio de Chirico’s paintings seem to go on forever.

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If you could tell a story about this painting, how would the story go? 16

What are some similarities and difference between these two pictures? 17

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Surrealism Giorgio de Chirico’s painting style influenced many other artists. And from de Chirico’s work another style of painting was born called Surrealism. The Surrealist movement was founded in 1924 by a poet named André Breton as a way of bringing dreams and fantasy into everyday reality. Andre Breton and other Surrealists believed that the unconscious was the wellspring of the imagination. (What do you think that means?) Some of these Surrealist artists you may be familiar with like Salvador Dalí and René Magritte. The following are some paintings by Surrealist artists. Do you see any resemblance to the style of de Chirico? 19

This is a painting by Salvador Dali titled “Persistence of Memory” 1931 with its strangely melting clocks. Do you see any similarities in this painting to some of the paintings by de Chirico? 20

Salvador Dali

Rene Magritte

“Castle in the Pyrenees” by Rene Magritte 23

Rene Magritte 24

Rene Magritte 25

Today’s Project The art activity you will be doing today is creating your own surrealist landscape using: Paper chalk pastels Scissors glue sticks magazine clippings 26

Step 1 Create the background (sky and land): Lightly pencil in a horizon line and color in the area above the line the sky color and the area below the land color. Color using pastels. This should be stark and simple in the style of De Chirico and the Surrealists. 

Step 2 Create the middle ground and the foreground: Think about creating a dream-like setting. Perhaps there are windows in the sky or watches with wings. Maybe there are animals with human’s feet. Use your imagination and have fun!!!!! 

Example