Giorgio de Chirico exhibition to open in Romania’s Timișoara

The exhibition Giorgio de Chirico: The Meaning of Urban Space. Pittura Metafisica, set to open at the National Art Museum of Timișoara next month, features approximately 50 works from the collection of the Giorgio e Isa de Chirico Foundation in Rome, including oil paintings and bronze sculptures.

It invites visitors to discover the enigmatic world of pittura metafisica (Metaphysical Art) and explore the relationship between de Chirico’s artistic universe and Timișoara’s architectural and artistic heritage.

Giorgio de Chirico (1888–1978), regarded as the founder of Metaphysical Art, is known for works featuring monumental architecture, unusual perspectives, light, and elongated shadows that “transform familiar places into enigmatic settings, where time seems suspended, and reality takes on unexpected meanings.”

The exhibition in Timișoara focuses on the main themes and motifs in de Chirico’s work: Italian Squares, Metaphysical Space, The Mannequin, and Dialogue with the Past. “Together, these themes reveal the coherence of an artistic universe in which metaphysics transcends the boundaries of a particular creative period to become an enduring vision of the world,” a presentation of the show reads.

The project also seeks to explore the connection between Giorgio de Chirico’s artistic imagination and Timișoara’s architectural and urban landscape, as the city’s identity is deeply rooted in the history and architecture of its public squares. Piața Unirii, with its Baroque façades and Holy Trinity Monument, and Piața Victoriei, an iconic setting in the city’s modern history, provide reference points for exploring the theatrical character of urban space, a recurring feature of the Italian artist’s work.

The exhibition is organized in collaboration with Civita Mostre e Musei, as part of the 2026 Italy – Romania Cultural Year. It is curated by Prof. Fabio Benzi, president of the Giorgio e Isa de Chirico Foundation, and Filip A. Petcu, director of the National Art Museum of Timișoara.

The exhibition will be on view from November 27 to April 11, 2027.