(Adnkronos) – The Czech Republic’s capital Prague is hosting a free exhibition dedicated to one of Italy’s greatest 20th-century artists, Greek-born Giorgio de Chirico, with over 70 of his works from major Italian and European private collections on show through 26 April at the Italian Cultural Institute in the city, according to a foreign ministry statement.
“It is a great pleasure to open such a prestigious exhibition in Prague dedicated to Giorgio de Chirico, a central figure of the twentieth century, not only for Italy, but for international art,” Italy’s ambassador to the Czech Republic, Alessandro Gaudiano said cited by the statement on Thursday.
“His works express a deep connection to Italian culture and, at the same time, an open and European perspective that, like his works, transcends time. I wish to thank the organisers. I am convinced that such initiatives help further strengthen cultural dialogue between Italy and the Czech Republic,” Gaudiano underlined.
The works on display extend from the 1930s, through to the artist’s final creative periods, offering a comprehensive and detailed overview of de Chirico’s career as a painter, ranging from the celebrated Piazze d’Italia (Italian Piazzas) to metaphysical architecture, from the horses and horsemen of his ‘Baroque’phase to still lives, which he defined as “silent lives”, and his graphic production with drawings, lithographs and engravings.
Designed specifically for the Italian Cultural Institute’s striking historic premises, the exhibition gives the public “a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the poetics and creative universe of one of the leading figures of 20th-century art”.
The exhibition is curated by Lorenzo Canova, Professor of Contemporary Art History at the University of Molise and member of the Scientific Council of the Giorgio and by the Isa de Chirico Foundation, promoted by the Aledya Foundation and organised with the Italian Cultural Institute, in collaboration with the Casa d’Arte San Lorenzo di San Miniato (Pisa) under the auspices of Italy’s embassy in Prague, the statement noted.
