Giorgio De Chirico (1888-1978) - Arciere con cavallo

Main characteristics of the work:
• Giorgio De Chirico (1888–1978) • “Archer with Horse,” 1972 • Soft-ground etching and four-color aquatint • Etching 41.5 × 31.5 cm, sheet 70 × 50 cm, 82 × 63 cm with frame • Manually numbered in pencil lower left XXIV/XXX • Manually signed in pencil lower right • Artist’s dry stamp and Alberto Caprini Stampatore in Roma dry stamp • Provenance: private Italian collection
Work belonging to the Metaphysical current

Work published in “Giorgio De Chirico. Catalog of Graphic Works 1969–1977,” edited by Edoardo Brandani, Edizioni Bora, Bologna, 1990, p. 37, inventory no. 24.

“Archer with Horse” is a splendid 1972 engraving, built around one of the most recognizable subjects of De Chirico’s imaginary: the horse, the mythological figure, the suspended landscape. The scene has great visual impact: the nude archer, the frontal horse and the mountains in the background create an intense and elegant image, in which the classical theme carries with it a strange and mysterious sensation typical of the Metaphysical world of De Chirico.

This print is particularly valuable because it is not a simple lithograph, but a work realized with the rare and refined technique of soft-ground varnish and four-color aquatint, a combination of high quality in artist’s graphics. The soft-ground varnish conveys the softness and fluidity of a charcoal drawing, while the aquatint allows for vibrant grounds, delicate tonal transitions and nuances that give the scene more air, depth and suggestion.

Giorgio De Chirico’s graphic activity represents a fundamental chapter of his production. The seventies etchings, such as this one, offer the collector direct access to the metaphysical language of the artist, with images of strong suggestion and excellent execution quality.

The edition is numbered XXIV/XXX in pencil lower left, signed in pencil lower right and accompanied by the two dry stamps: the Artist’s and that of Alberto Caprini Stampatore in Roma. The work is published in the Catalogo dell’Opera Grafica 1969–1977, edited by Edoardo Brandani, Edizioni Bora, Bologna, 1990, p. 37, rep. 24.

The numerous publications confirm the strong critical recognition and the presence of the work in important catalogues and exhibitions.
Bibliography cited: L. Piccioni – A. Jouffroy, Messina, 1980; D. Guzzi, Tivoli, 1984; C. Sinisgallo, ed., Villongo, 1984; M. Fagiolo dell’Arco, Bologna, 1984; M. Calvesi – M. Fagiolo – F. Quarantotto, Caserta, 1985; M. Fagiolo – G. dalla Chiesa, Ferrara, 1985.

Giorgio De Chirico, born in Volos in 1888 and died in Rome in 1978, is the great master of Metaphysical art. His silent squares, statues, horses and mythological seascapes left a profound mark on twentieth-century art; alongside these themes, his self-portraits and metaphysical figures reflect a constant search for identity and memory, becoming symbols of the enigmatic condition of the modern man.

Note: Total edition of 95 copies numbered in Arabic numerals, 30 copies numbered in Roman numerals, 21 copies signed by letters A to Z and 10 Artist’s Proofs.

The buyer will receive the work in careful and sturdy packaging. Very fast shipping.