Giorgio de CHIRICO castigates modern art and supports PICASSO.

Giorgio de Chirico (1888.1978)

Autograph letter signed to the publisher Henri Parisot.

Two pages in-12° on an Italian map.

Piazza di Spagna 31. Rome. October 20, 1947.

"The only ones with talent are Picasso and Derain. Everything else is just a bluff." 

A remarkable letter from the Italian painter testifying to his devotion to his art: " I am working hard and continuing to progress in the very difficult art of painting." And delivering to his friend, the publisher, his harshest criticisms of the decadence of Modern Art : "I also continue to fight with all my might against the immorality of so-called 'modern art'" and of the Surrealists: "What are those Surrealist fools doing? Aren't they dead yet?"

_____________________________________________________________________

"Dear friend, I received your kind letter. You were misinformed, as no album of my works has been published in Italy. How are you? How are your wife and child? Please give me news of yourself and your literary endeavors. As for me, as always, I am working hard and continuing to make progress in the very difficult art of painting."

I also continue to fight with all my might against the immorality of so-called "modern art" which has its center in Paris and which has only one goal: to deceive its neighbor in order to pocket money.

I note with sadness that Paris, from an artistic point of view, is more decadent than ever ; all foreigners, even the most naive, notice it. It's sad to see a country that has produced so many heroes of painting now resorting to the most grotesque forms of publicity to inflate the names of Matisse, Braque, and so on, balloons that are deflating before our very eyes. The only ones with real talent are Picasso and Derain. Everything else is just a bluff.

My wife [Isabella Far] has proven to be a great writer; we wrote a book together called Commedia dell'Arte Moderna , which has caused quite a stir here. Why don't you publish some excerpts from this book? It would also cause quite a stir in Paris. Believe me, your most devoted G. de Chirico. What are those foolish Surrealists doing? Aren't they dead yet ?