The Double Dream of Spring

Summary

The Double Dream of Spring (also known as Doppio Sogno di Primavera, 1915) is a painting by the Italian metaphysical painter Giorgio de Chirico.

The Double Dream of Spring
ArtistGiorgio de Chirico
Year1915
Catalogue78956
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions56.2 cm × 54.3 cm (22+18 in × 21+38 in)
LocationMuseum of Modern Art, New York City
Accession138.1957

The painting depicts apparently related but separate scenes. The scene on the left shows a statue of a man in a frock-coat from behind. The statue appears to be staring contemplatively into an open sky. The two scenes are separated in the middle by a wooden beam, perhaps part of an easel. Near the base of the beam is a blueprint drawing of an interior, in which large arches and a window open onto a landscape including the stick-like figures of two men meeting, and distant mountains. The scene on the right appears to be looking down on the same landscape from a slightly different angle. Above the landscape is the shape of the head of a tailor's dummy.

Similar dummies appear many times in de Chirico's work (cf. The Seer). This time the dummy's head looms over the landscape like a hot air balloon.

The title was used by John Ashbery for his 1970 book of poems.

Sources edit

  • Museum of Modern Art