Giorgio de Chirico (1888-1978) Italy

Giorgio de Chirico was a Greek-born Italian painter. He studied art in Munich, but later settled in Paris. He is mainly known for his metaphysical paintings during the twentieth century and his work is regarded by many as a forerunner to Surrealism. These paintings portray dream-like moods, cold objectivity and strange perspectives. Over time de Chirico transitioned to a more realistic idiom and sometimes distanced himself from his earlier work. De Chirico is otherwise known for finding inspiration in nineteenth century romanticism, the early Italian Renaissance and cubist constructivism.