[1] De Maria is known for his abstract figurative works, which have been characterized as lyrical and colourful.
[2][3] De Maria earned a master's degree in medicine[4] but then in 1977 he executed his first wall painting in Milan.
[6] Along with De Maria the principal transavantgarde artists were; Sandro Chia, Francesco Clemente, Enzo Cucchi, Nino Longobardi, Luigi Ontani, and Mimmo Paladino.
[9] His work was shown in the Italian Pavilion in an exhibition curated by Laura Cherubini, Flaminio Gualdoni and Lea Vergine.
[10] In 2013 there was a retrospective of his work held at the Turin Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, "The Madness to Come" curated by Danilo Eccher.