With the outbreak of World War 1 in 1915 both Giorgio and Andrea return to Italy to join the army. They are ultimately transferred to Ferrara, and joined by their mother. While in Ferrar Giorgio meets Filippo de Pisis and the futurist painter Carlo Carrà. He contributes regularly to the art journal Valori Plastici, the same journal that gives him theoretical credibility for his development of Metaphysical Painting.

From 1915 to 1925 de Chirico painted bizarre, faceless mannequins and juxtaposed wildly unrelated objects in his still lifes, a technique adopted by the surrealists. He has his first one-man exhibition in 1919 at Galleria Bragaglia in Rome, but only manages to sell one painting.

In 1924 Giorgio meets and marries Raissa Gurievich, a Russian ballerina with the 'Theater of Eleven'. They travel to Paris where she studies archaeology and de Chirico continues painting. Within the year the Surrealists take de Chirico as their master and inspiration, and cling most vehemently with his metaphysical paintings, to the point where André Breton publicly attacks deChirico at his one-man opening in Galerie Lénce Rosenberg, calling his recent works degenerate.

In 1926 de Chirico breaks with the Surrealists. Breton considers him a 'lost genius.' De Chirico's stance becomes that of anti-surrealist, anti-modernist. He decides to return to a more academic style and creates work for himself as a portraitist. In 1930 he meets Isabella Pakszwer who is to become his second wife. The couple move permanently to Italy though Giorgio still travelled regularly to Paris for his work.

Throughout the Second World War, de Chirico paints and but exhibitions are rare. In 1948 he has a prominant place in the Vnice Biennal and is nominated into the Royal Society of British Artists, London.

During the 1950's and 60's De Chirico returns to his 'Metaphysical' subjects from previous years. He paints many 'silent lifes' with the familiar landscapes, interiors and portraits. Denounces the many forgeries of his works flooding the market. At this time he also starts producing sculptures in bronze.Through the sculpture he presents the characters of his metaphysical worlds in three dimensions.

De Chirico continues to paint and sculpt and in 1975 is given the title of Acadmic of France. One year later he receives the Cross of the Great Officer from the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1978 there is an homage created in Paris to honour his 90th birthday. He died on November 20th of the same year in Rome.