Metaphysical painting was an Italian art movement founded in 1917 in Ferrara by Carlo Carrà and Giorgio de Chirico. It depicted dreamlike scenes featuring figures and objects frozen in time in strange, illogical contexts with unreal lighting and colors. In contrast to Futurism, metaphysical paintings used a different logic to depict deserted squares and silent, rigidly rendered buildings and structures in a sense of mystery and enigma. The movement influenced later Surrealism and created a new reality beyond the literal meaning of the scenes. Main artists included de Chirico, Carrà, Morandi, Savino, Tibertelli, and Soffici.

1. METAPHYSICAL PAINTING Revision

2. Origin It is an Italian art movement It was born in 1917 in Ferrara with the work of Carlo Carrá Giorgio de Chirico The word metaphysical is core to the poetic of the movement

3. Characteristics They depicted a dreamlike imagery with figures and objects seemingly frozen in time Artists accept the representation of the visible world in a traditional perspective space

4. Characteristics There is something strange in their works: Unusual arrangement of human beings as dummy-like models Objects in strange, illogical contexts Unreal lights and colours Unnatural static of still figures

5. Characteristics Opposite to Futurism They had more than a new way of painting, only a new way of seeing things They used a different logic with: Deserted squares Silent, rigidly rendered buildings Colonnades and shadows

6. Characteristics Trains passing far away in the distance Clocks and statues There is never any precise hint in the paintings about the place or moment of the scene.

7. Characteristics Scenes are full of: Eventless Tome of silence Imminence Enigma

8. Characteristics All that generated a new reality which goes beyond the meaning of the things presented Creating a sense of Expectation mistery Bonded with the unconscious mind

9. Influences It may appear as a reaction against Cubism Futurism It may seem strange that many of the achievements of 20th century Italian art came during the rise of Fascism It created the premises of Surrealism

10. Artists Main members of the movement were: Giorgio de Chirico Carlo Carra Giorgio Morandi Italo Savino Luigi Filippo Tibertelli Ardengo Soffici