The Enigma of the Hour is an oil painting produced in 1911 by Italian painter Giorgio de Chirico
The Enigma of the Hour was one of the most famous paintings of Metaphysical period during the 20th century.
The Enigma of the Hour picture depicts an urban environment with architecture and classical lighting that Giorgio de Chirico’s included in his several paintings and later remains as the hallmark. Chirico painted several figures around the urban environment having some vague features which give the sense to the viewer that they are fairly absent. On top of this painting was a large clock that reads six minutes to three. The time included doesn’t indicate any meaning to the painting or to its theme.
Giorgio de Chirico painted The Enigma of the Hour during an early phase of his career when he focused on metaphysical painting technique. These painting techniques focus on town squares and urban civilization environments. Giorgio de Chirico founded the Metaphysical school of visual art with his friend Carlo Carra.
Giorgio de Chirico was one of the most philosophically intense artists among various other visual artists of the 20th century. Between 1910 and 1920, Giorgio de Chirico achievement of pinnacle artist from his metaphysical paintings phase. The philosophical concept behind these paintings was that we are unaware of many things in-spite we know about it, we can sense it emotionally and intuitively.