''Metaphysical Interior with Large Factory'' is an oil-on-canvas painting by the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

Giorgio de Chirico Giuseppe Maria Alberto Giorgio de Chirico ( ; ; 10 July 1888 – 20 November 1978) was an Italian artist and writer born in Greece. In the years before World War I, he founded the art movement, which profoundly influenced the surrealists. His ...

, from 1916. It is part of a series that extended late into de Chirico's career. Like the other works in this series it depicts a small room cluttered with surreal objects. This time the main focus is a painting within the painting, the framed picture of a factory complex. Matilde Battistini states that "The building in the Classical style represents a utopian wish to return to a city "made to the measure of man". The painting also includes drafting tools, which are symbols of the architect and engineers professions, according to Battistini.Matilde Battistini, ''Symbols and Allegories in Art'', Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum, 2005, p. 270

References

1916 paintings Paintings by Giorgio de Chirico Architecture paintings {{20C-painting-stub