De Chirico

The unexpected encounter of a rubber glove, a green ball, and the head from the classical statue of the Apollo Belvedere gave rise to one of the most compelling paintings in the history of modernist art: Giorgio de Chirico's 'The Song of Love' (1914). Beloved by the Surrealists, this uncanny image exemplifies de Chirico's radical 'metaphysical' painting. Emily Braun's essay explores the sources behind the work's enigmatic motifs, its influence on avant-garde painters and poets, and its continuing abilitiy to captivate viewers as de Chirico's intended, even a century after it was made.