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Nietzsche‟S Aura in De Chirico‟S Art

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Nietzsche‟S Aura in De Chirico‟S Art Lucio GIULIODORI, Elena NOTINA UDC 11:75 Lucio GIULIODORI, Elena NOTINA THE VISION AND THE ENIGMA: NIETZSCHE‟S AURA IN DE CHIRICO‟S ART Abstract Giorgio De Chirico definitely stands out as a peculiar character of the Italian Novecento and his art ties directly with Nietzsche‟s philosophy whose eternal questions paved the way to his “immanent meta- physics” which is typified and pervaded by ever-present melancholia brought about by a heightened awareness of the death of God. Grappling with “the world seen for the first time” De Chirico‟s narrative does not depict reality rather its ghost, the latter is seen by dint of revelations and hallucinations. This paper sheds light onto some significant kinships between the two characters as not only philo- sophical concerns are vital but illness too. The philosopher suffered since his very childhood from severe migraine and then from a psychiatric illness with depression while the painter unknowingly suffered from migraine aura. This ailment, affecting the fragile border amid perceived reality and hallucinated reality, turned out to be a remarkable source of inspiration which boosted the visions and the enigmas the artist was entwined with. Overall, Nietzsche ushered in a picture of the world that De Chirico has wholeheartedly shared, how- ever, in the light of his disorder, the empathy went even further, and this is the noteworthy aspect this pa- per aims at underscoring. Keywords: Giorgio De Chirico, Friedrich Nietzsche, avant-gardes, metaphysical art, Italian studies, Italian art, philosophy of art, neuroaesthetics, illness. Introduction the intense artistic atmosphere of one of the most vibrant European capitals at his time. The pro- Shortly after De Chirico‟s father died cess of cultural assimilation affected not only the (1905), his mom Gemma decided to move to artistic sphere - his early works are deeply influ- Germany looking at this country as an ideal enced by Böcklin, let us think of The enigma of place for her children‟s education. Her move the Oracle (1909)1 - Nietzsche and Schopenhau- turned out to be totally farsighted. In 1907, at the age of 18, Giorgio De Chiri- 1 “The pensive figure wrapped in a long cloak seen in co entered the Academy of Fine arts in Munich. a rear view, fully in the Romantic tradition of con- templative figures seen from behind” – let us think of This was indeed an essential chapter of his life as Caspar Friedrich‟s Wanderer – “is cited almost liter- from now on, and De Chirico started to soak up ally from Böcklin‟s Odysseus and Calypso of 1882. De Chirico was fascinated during this period by WISDOM 2(13), 2019 156 156 The Vision and the Enigma: Nietzsche’s Aura in De Chirico’s Art UDC 11:75 er soon became strong pillars of his picture of the may be the very „revelation‟, pictorially of Lucio GIULIODORI, world, a world painted with their enthralling phi- course, that readers of Nietzsche are look- Elena NOTINA losophies. ing for in text” (p. 11). As J. M. Faerna (1995) outlines: First of all, De Chirico shares with Nie- THE VISION AND THE ENIGMA: NIETZSCHE‟S AURA “This distinctive grounding was markedly tzsche the love for ancient Greece and not only because he was born in that country. In the early IN DE CHIRICO‟S ART different from that received by most other young French and Italian artists of the pe- twentieth century among artists and men of cul- riod, whose lessons came largely from the ture, the love for classics, Greek myths, in par- Abstract poetic Tradition of Romanticism – Charles ticular, was widely spread if not even a must2. Baudelaire, Arthur Rimbaud and Stéphane Ancient Greek references in De Chirico‟s paint- Giorgio De Chirico definitely stands out as a peculiar character of the Italian Novecento and his art Mallarmé. This difference helps to explain ings are persistent, let us think of Hector and ties directly with Nietzsche‟s philosophy whose eternal questions paved the way to his “immanent meta- the singularity of De Chirico‟s work, Andromache, The song of love, Furniture and physics” which is typified and pervaded by ever-present melancholia brought about by a heightened which his contemporaries did not always rocks in a room and Strange travellers just to awareness of the death of God. understand. It also provides a clue to his name a few. Grappling with “the world seen for the first time” De Chirico‟s narrative does not depict reality rather method of painting, which was first intel- M. Holzhey (2017), referring to De Chiri- its ghost, the latter is seen by dint of revelations and hallucinations. lectual and the pictorial” (p. 7). co‟s famous portrait, summarises the matter: This paper sheds light onto some significant kinships between the two characters as not only philo- Even though De Chirico was a well- educated painter whose interests were wide, Nie- “The pose he strikes in his self-portrait of sophical concerns are vital but illness too. The philosopher suffered since his very childhood from severe 1911 is a direct citation of Nietzsche‟s own tzsche certainly stands out as the main source of migraine and then from a psychiatric illness with depression while the painter unknowingly suffered from portrait photograph. De Chirico saw Nie- his inspiration, the foundation of his aim, both as migraine aura. This ailment, affecting the fragile border amid perceived reality and hallucinated reality, tzsche not only as a guideline but also as a a painter and as a human being. As Dori Gilinski turned out to be a remarkable source of inspiration which boosted the visions and the enigmas the artist figure of identification […] With Nietzsche was entwined with. (2013) asserts: De Chirico shared not only his love of the “It would be a rather grand claim that the Overall, Nietzsche ushered in a picture of the world that De Chirico has wholeheartedly shared, how- enigma but also his fascination with the „meaning‟ of de Chirico‟s Metaphysical ever, in the light of his disorder, the empathy went even further, and this is the noteworthy aspect this pa- world of classical mythology. Both the Lat- works could be deciphered with the guid- per aims at underscoring. in quotation beneath the programmatic ance of Nietzsche‟s writings. Does the re- self-portrait and the eye devoid of a pupil lationship of influence between the philos- make reference to the blind seer of antiqui- Keywords: Giorgio De Chirico, Friedrich Nietzsche, avant-gardes, metaphysical art, Italian studies, opher and the artist suggest this is possi- ty. We will encounter the notion of outer Italian art, philosophy of art, neuroaesthetics, illness. ble? De Chirico aestheticises Nietzsche‟s blindness again and again in De Chirico‟s ideas, yet his pre-1915 works are hardly ouvre. Blind to the present, the eye is not transcriptions in image form. Indeed, De fixed on outward form but sees the inner Introduction the intense artistic atmosphere of one of the most Chirico‟s genius lies not merely in inter- or future shape of things. The Metaphysi- vibrant European capitals at his time. The pro- preting Nietzsche‟s philosophies but in cal artist therefore assumes a prophetic Shortly after De Chirico‟s father died cess of cultural assimilation affected not only the conjuring a mysterious atmosphere, a for- ability to turn his gaze upon the unfamiliar lorn mood, an inexplicable sensation that (1905), his mom Gemma decided to move to artistic sphere - his early works are deeply influ- aspect of things” (p. 8.). Germany looking at this country as an ideal enced by Böcklin, let us think of The enigma of Nietzsche is defined by De Chirico (1999) 1 Homer‟s account of the wanderings of the Greek he- as “the most profound of all poets” and the paint- place for her children‟s education. Her move the Oracle (1909) - Nietzsche and Schopenhau- ro Odysseus, who, as the embodiment of a traveler turned out to be totally farsighted. with an uncertain destiny, became another figure of identification in his own life history. Böcklin‟s pen- 2 Renato Miracco (2013) speaks about “the need felt In 1907, at the age of 18, Giorgio De Chiri- 1 “The pensive figure wrapped in a long cloak seen in sive Ulysses, yearning for home, becomes in De Chi- by 20th century art to go back through past ages and co entered the Academy of Fine arts in Munich. a rear view, fully in the Romantic tradition of con- rico‟s painting a thinker contemplating the enigmas civilizations, attempting to retrieve a primordial gy- templative figures seen from behind” – let us think of of the world and the mystery of his own existence. naeceum, the origin, the matrix, and to develop a This was indeed an essential chapter of his life as Caspar Friedrich‟s Wanderer – “is cited almost liter- The oracle, voice of fate, is present in the shape of monumental representation that will impress itself from now on, and De Chirico started to soak up ally from Böcklin‟s Odysseus and Calypso of 1882. the marble head of a statue concealed behind a cur- onto the collective mind and constitute an indelible De Chirico was fascinated during this period by tain” (Holzheny, 2017, p. 14). reference image”, (p. 13). WISDOM 2(13), 2019 156 157 157 Lucio GIULIODORI, Elena NOTINA ing The Delights of the Poet of 1913 is most like- nal afternoon4 and in the afternoon that stretches ly dedicated to him3. Writing to his friend Fritz the uncanny shadows populating De Chirico‟s Gartz, the Master affirms: “I am the only man squares, filled with Schopenhauerian melan- who has understood Nietzsche, all my works choly, mirrors of inner kaleidoscopic experienc- prove it” (p.
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