The Piazza

1914

Italian, (born in Greece) 1888-1978

De Chirico is a quintessential surrealist, plumbing the subconscious mind to find meaning and connections between unrelated forms. The clarity of his visions, often set in public plazas such as this, transmit the feeling of dreams, and as in dreams, figures recur in De Chirico's paintings-such as the train, classical statue, and arcade architecture seen here.

Oil on canvas

13 1/4 x 20 in. (33.66 x 50.8 cm)

Gift of Mrs. John C. Atwood, Jr.

55.210

Photo: Paul Macapia

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Modern Art Pavilion, TRIBUTE TO ZOE DUSANNE, March 24 - May 8, 1977 (03/24/1977 - 05/08/1977)

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "Modern in Europe: Featuring Selections from the Collection of Gladys & Sam Rubinstein", November 5, 2004 - April 17, 2005

Vancouver, British Columbia, Vancouver Art Gallery, The Colour of My Dreams: The Surrealist Revolution in Art, May 28 - October 2, 2011

Published ReferencesAdes, Dawn, Vancouver, British Columbia, Vancouver Art Gallery, The Colour of My Dreams: The Surrealist Revolution in Art, 2011, pg. 127

Young, Tara, "SAM Collects: Contemporary Art Project" 2002, Seattle Art Museum, 2002, pg. 49

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