The Melancholy of Departure
Encyclopedia
The Melancholy of Departure (1916) is a painting by the Greek
-Italian
metaphysical painter
Giorgio de Chirico
. This painting was created after de Chirico returned to Italy from Paris
to join the Italian Army
in World War I
.
During this time de Chirico was moving away from the bright open scenes of his previous work. He was now focusing on more abstract combinations of objects and indoor settings, and seeking to paint the hidden meanings behind the surface of things. The themes of travel and departure are present in much of de Chirico's canon, as seen in his many paintings of trains and railways stations.
This painting depicts a random cluster of objects used to make paintings, and an easel which holds up a triangular map. The map shows a channel between two land masses with outlines of different routes. The surroundings are the inside of a room at night. The room has an open archway through which can be seen a tower.
This is the second painting by de Chirico by this title after his 1914 work Gare Montparnasse (The Melancholy of Departure)
. In 1987 the American
jazz
musicians Mark Isham
and Art Lande
released a song titled “The Melancholy of Departure” on their collaborative album We Begin
.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
-Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
metaphysical painter
Metaphysical art
Metaphysical art , style of painting that flourished mainly between 1911 and 1920 in the works of the Italian artists Giorgio de Chirico and Carlo Carrà. The movement began with Chirico, whose dreamlike works with sharp contrasts of light and shadow often had a vaguely threatening, mysterious quality...
Giorgio de Chirico
Giorgio de Chirico
Giorgio de Chirico was a pre-Surrealist and then Surrealist Italian painter born in Volos, Greece, to a Genovese mother and a Sicilian father. He founded the scuola metafisica art movement...
. This painting was created after de Chirico returned to Italy from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to join the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
During this time de Chirico was moving away from the bright open scenes of his previous work. He was now focusing on more abstract combinations of objects and indoor settings, and seeking to paint the hidden meanings behind the surface of things. The themes of travel and departure are present in much of de Chirico's canon, as seen in his many paintings of trains and railways stations.
This painting depicts a random cluster of objects used to make paintings, and an easel which holds up a triangular map. The map shows a channel between two land masses with outlines of different routes. The surroundings are the inside of a room at night. The room has an open archway through which can be seen a tower.
This is the second painting by de Chirico by this title after his 1914 work Gare Montparnasse (The Melancholy of Departure)
Gare Montparnasse (The Melancholy of Departure)
Gare Montparnasse is a painting by the Greek-Italian metaphysical painter Giorgio de Chirico. Many of de Chirico’s works were inspired by the introspective feelings evoked by travel. He was born in Greece to Italian parents...
. In 1987 the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musicians Mark Isham
Mark Isham
Mark Isham is an American trumpeter, synthesist, and film composer. He works in a variety of genres, including jazz, electronic, and film.-Life and career:...
and Art Lande
Art Lande
Art Lande is a jazz pianist, drummer, composer and educator.Born in New York City, he began piano at age 4, studied at Williams College, and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1969. He made the first record of his own compositions in 1973 for ECM Records, in a duo with saxophonist/flutist Jan...
released a song titled “The Melancholy of Departure” on their collaborative album We Begin
We Begin
We Begin is a collaborative album by the American jazz musicians Mark Isham and Art Lande. It is a highly experimental album featuring a wide range of compositional styles....
.