Giorgio de Chirico

Galleria la Casa dell'Arte, Sasso Marconi (no. 4242)
Salomon & C. Collection, Turin
Sale: Finarte, Rome, November 18, 1997, 294
European Private Collection (and sold: Christie's, London, October 16, 2006, lot 207)
Acquired at the above sale

Claudio Bruni Sakraischik, Catalogo Generale Giorgio de Chirico, Opere dal 1951 al 1974, vol. VIII, Milan, no. 1158

Canvas is not lined. Some minor spots of surface abrasion are present along the extreme edges. Under UV light: areas of uneven varnish fluoresce, especially toward the lower left corner, but no inpainting is apparent. Overall the work is in excellent condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Torino metafisica is a cunning elaboration of Giorgio de Chirico's most iconic features. The city of Turin marks the ideal backdrop for the artist's thematic investigations, of which he would comment, "it is the deepest, most enigmatic, most alarming city, not just of Italy, but of the whole world" (quoted in M. Fagiolo dell'Arco, de Chirico; gli anni Trenta, Milan, 1996, p. 138). Marking the constant search for the ultimate metaphysical painting, de Chirico explores the themes of time and geometry while investing the composition with a suspended narrative.

In the present work, the artist disrupts our sense of the familiar and the mysterious by placing together non-communicating elements which are harmonically and aesthetically combined through their form and color. Leading the viewers deep within the recesses of the picture, the mannequin near the left foreground visually echoes the terracotta column in the background while the mustard-coloured easel leads the eye back towards the work's central plane. Once again, de Chirico consistently plays with form, perspective, and shadow, to trick us into perceiving at once the multivalent planes of the work. Through the juxtaposition of familiar images of everyday life with imaginary human-like figures, de Chirico creates an alternative mysterious reality which inhabits the viewer's unconscious mind rather than projecting a lucid interpretation of our known world.