Early Life: Born in Greece, influenced by classical architecture and mythology.
Artistic Training: Studied art in Athens and Munich, exposed to German Romanticism and philosophy.
Metaphysical Pioneer: Created "Metaphysical painting" with enigmatic scenes of empty squares and mannequins.
Surrealist Influence: His early works deeply influenced the Surrealist movement.
Controversial Shift: Changed style to embrace traditional techniques and classical themes, alienating some supporters.
Later Career: Continued to paint and exhibit, though later work received mixed reactions.
Legacy: Pioneer of modern art, key figure in the development of Surrealism, known for dreamlike imagery and exploration of the subconscious.
Embedded Files
Here are 5 intriguing points,
The Eerie Emptiness of "Metaphysical Art": De Chirico is best known for his early "Metaphysical" period. These paintings depict deserted city squares, long shadows, and mannequins. This unsettling emptiness speaks to a profound sense of loneliness and isolation, reflecting perhaps his own feelings of displacement as an Italian raised partly in Greece.
Precursor to Surrealism, Yet Distinct: De Chirico's dreamlike scenes and unexpected juxtapositions were hugely influential on the Surrealists. However, he later rejected them, finding their embrace of the irrational too chaotic. His work maintained a more classical, ordered feel, even when exploring unsettling themes. This suggests a tension between his desire to express inner turmoil and his need for structure and control.
The "Haunted" Mannequins: Recurring in de Chirico's work are mannequins, often assembled from disparate objects. These figures are both intriguing and disturbing, lacking faces and identity. They can be seen as symbols of alienation and the inability to connect, reflecting a deep-seated loneliness that perhaps haunted de Chirico.
Post-War Shift: Distorted Figures and Classical Themes: After World War II, de Chirico's style changed. He revisited classical mythology but with a grotesque twist. Figures became deformed, muscular, and exaggerated. Some interpret this as a response to the horrors of war, a reflection of the physical and psychological wounds inflicted on humanity. Others see it as a defiant rejection of modernism, a retreat into the past, albeit a distorted one.
A Controversial Legacy of Self-Copying: De Chirico was criticized for repeatedly recreating his earlier works. This could be seen as a symptom of creative stagnation, but also perhaps a desperate attempt to recapture a sense of order and meaning in a world that had become increasingly chaotic and fragmented. The repetition itself echoes a sense of loneliness, of being trapped in a cycle of one's own making.
De Chirico's art, with its haunting imagery and evolving style, offers a glimpse into the mind of an artist grappling with loneliness, the aftermath of war, and the complexities of the human condition. He remains a captivating figure precisely because of these contradictions and his willingness to confront the darker aspects of the human psyche.
*Jeffrey Smart is a contemporary artist inspired by De Chirico! check out his work you can see the similarities with De chirocos work below
ARTIST MODEL RESEARCH & RESPONSE
ARTIST MODEL RESEARCH & RESPONSE
4x A4 pages in your Visual Diary or 2x slides in your Digital workbook
Create artist research pages that explore the artist model in-depth and allows you to experiment with their style and technique, while also researching their ideas, medi and technieuqs [conventions]
You will need to complete in your Visual Diary
1x page of Artist research [who, what and when]
1x page of Analysis [why and how]
Create your own reference images [photographs of hands]
respond to the artist model in practical works
AKO - Research and Learn
AKO - Research and Learn
PAGE 1 -pure research & facts
Select 2-3 images from the provided sheet [or search your own] and glue them into your Visual Diary. Do some basic research on your artist and their style of work. In your Visual diary note down some important or interesting facts about your Artist [dot points are fine].
Consider/answer the following questions and make notes in your sketchbook
Biographical Information & context
What is the name of your chosen artist?
What year was he/she born?
Does the time have any contextual relevance to the art work? (was there anything happening at the time of the art work that may have been an influence)
Are there any relevant facts about their life that impacted their work?
Media
How was the work made and what was it made from?
What materials, tools, processes and techniques did the artist use?
Do you think the artist needed to work quickly or slowly?
Subject
What is the subject matter of the work? What is it about?
Was the subject matter based on direct observation, or was it invented or imagined by the artist?
IN ANY SPARE SPACE, DO SOME VALUE AND COLOUR STUDIES OF THE SELECTED ARTWORKS
workbook example.pdf
THIS RESOURCE HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO ASSIST YOU WITH RESEARCHING AND RESPONDING TO THE ARTIST MODELS
Annotation and Artist research SENIORTŪHURA-explore [evidence for 2.3]
TŪHURA-explore [evidence for 2.3]
Page 2- ANALYSIS-THINKING AND TALKING ABOUT THE WORK
An analysis of an artists body of work is like breaking down a recipe to understand how & why it's made. We look closely at the elements the artist used, like colors, lines, and shapes, and how they work together to create the artworks. We also consider the artist's choices and how they might have influenced the pieces. It's about understanding the artist's vision and how they communicated it through their work using conventions.
THESE QUESTIONS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO ALL BE ANSWERED ON AT A TIME, THEY ARE PROMPTS TO GET YOU THIKNING...
Conventions [line/shape/vale/focal point etc]
Conventions [line/shape/vale/focal point etc]
What do you see first when you look at this artwork? (Why?.)
If you had to describe this artist's style in three words, what would they be?
What other conventions can you identify in this artwork?
Do you think the artist followed these conventions strictly, or did they break any rules? Why?
How does the artist's use of conventions affect the way you see and feel about this artwork?
How has the subject matter been arranged (composition)?
Was the intention to represent it realistically or to distort, exaggerate or abstract it and why is this important?
What color scheme did the artist use? How do those colors make you feel? how does it add to the work [purpose]
How did the artist use lines in this artwork? Are they thick or thin, straight or curvy? Why have they been used and for what intent?
How has the artist used or applied media/technique? is there a purpose to it?
Does this artwork remind you of any other artists or styles you've seen? Why or why not?
What do you think the artist was trying to say or express with this artwork?
How does the artist's style help them communicate their message
Does this artwork have a different meaning for you than it might have for someone else? Why?
Was there anything happening at the time of the art work that may have been an influence on the way the piece was made or you view it?
Influence on your own art: How will this artwork inspire or inform your own creative practice? What techniques, ideas, or approaches might you borrow or adapt?
WAIHANGA - Respond & Create [evidence for 2.2 2.3 2.4]
WAIHANGA - Respond & Create [evidence for 2.2 2.3 2.4]
RESPOND = 2 pages of your visual diary should now be dedicated to learning to draw draped fabric and responding to the styles of Kay sage. These are experimantal and exploratory style drawings. You will also explore large drawngs of draped fabric in charcoal and paint
CREATE [top of board 1]
2x A5 drawings in DRY MEDIA [pencil.charcoal.pen]
2x A5 artworks in WET MEDIA [ink.paint.watercolour. oilpastel resist]
Respond
Respond
Responding with Line
Responding with Line
Using line only, record record the structures that you see in your photographs, focus on the geometry of buildings, the arches and the use of linear perspective. Explore at least six conventions these could include (but are not limited to):
limited space
illusionistic space
symbolic imagery
juxtaposing of imagery to create meaning
personal and cultural context
Under each drawing, annotate and identify which convention(s) you have chosen to explore.
Responding with Value
Responding with Value
select a number of your photographs to render with value. Use wet media for some and dry media for others. In some cases it may be appropriate to use both.
Under each drawing, annotate and identify which convention(s) you have chosen to explore.
Responding with Colour
Responding with Colour
Using your previous compositions or newly created ones, you will respond to your scape using De Chirico's colour pallet and strong use of light and shadow. You can paint from image or photocopy your compositions and transfer base lines to your painting surface
Create [resolved pieces]
Create [resolved pieces]
A series of resolved finished pieces 4x A5/A4 using your reference image and artists style
These will form the middle section of Folio 1
*you may be able to use your charcoal and paint larger pieces - photograph and print to for folio*
Digital Folio
Digital Folio
all evidence is to go into your digital folio
2x pages of research and analysis
2x pages of practical drawings and paintings +ANNOTATIONS
resolved pieces 1 or more slides + process work and annotation originals go on your folio board
- Reflect [Annotating your Work]
under your drawings and paintings make comments about your work - what has been successful, what needs more work?
Make comments on identifiable pictorial elements and conventions.
example folio layout
THESE FOLIOS ALL MAKE REFERENCE TO DE CHIRICO IN THE USE OF LIGHT AND SHADOW, ARCHES/BUILDINGS AND FIGURES/STATUES. YOU SHOULD ALSO NOW BE SEEING HOW THEY HAVE COMBINED ELEMENTS FROM ALL OR SOME OF THE ARTIST MODELS, AND HAVE ALSO INCLUDED ANOTHER ARTIST MODEL IN SOME.
THESE FOLIOS ALL MAKE REFERENCE TO DE CHIRICO IN THE USE OF LIGHT AND SHADOW, ARCHES/BUILDINGS AND FIGURES/STATUES. YOU SHOULD ALSO NOW BE SEEING HOW THEY HAVE COMBINED ELEMENTS FROM ALL OR SOME OF THE ARTIST MODELS, AND HAVE ALSO INCLUDED ANOTHER ARTIST MODEL IN SOME.
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