As a forerunner of pittura metafisica, de Chirico had a huge influence on the subsequent development of surrealism, new objectivity and magic realism. Even before the surrealists, he discovered the power of the unconscious and the independent language of objects. Influenced by the symbolic painting of Arnold Bocklin and the dream pictures of Max Klinger, de Chirico created his famous city views of deserted or statically enlivened squares. At the same time, he did ironically intellectual self-portraits that form a large part of the artist's oeuvre. Based on new insights gained from research, author Gerd Roos sheds light on de Chirico's artistic development as it is reflected in his times, the break with his innovative, seminal painting and his turn to a traditional, academic concept of art. De Chirico's expansive estate offers insights into the artist's multi-faceted personality. Published on the occasion of exhibitions at Galerie Caratsch, Zurich, and Galerie Haas, Berlin in 2008. English, German and Italian text