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iJiRTrtr^jyiypi
meanings to things
He intended
art.
own thought
from the
hub of Europe in
intellectual
and
artistic
form the
branch
of the Surrealists.
This book provides the reader with an
introduction to the world of Magritte's
\
n
oAftJiitii
Magritte
CAMEO /ABI^XMS
IIAI^KV N.
ABKAMS,
INC., PI
RMSllKK'S
The Art of Living, 1967. Oil on canvas, 25'A X 21%" (65 X 54 nn). Private
collection.
CD BR
ND6 73
.M35
A4
1996
Magritte's Surrealism
December 1929, two years after joiniiiji the ranks of the Paris
Surrealist's, Rene Magritte published his most important coiitribulion to
In
La Revolution
avenue of communication,
Magritte
made
eighteen
in a
little
title
name
or image"
is
Words
(dkI linages,
-.r.
same function as
tic
main
illustrated
word
"horse";
";ui
its
Hm^ Magnlle, am
in
object's relation to
bmthrrt, haul
name
its
one"
is
is
is
it
leal"
word can
titting
and Raymond
woman
substitute for an
Reality and a
New Order
awiueness
between
is
reality.
"The universe
Magritte, "nothing
ing
is
is
upon himself
it
is
to suggest
of images
ous than one may be led to believe from the routines of everyday
painter Magritte took
new ways
life.
As a
of organizing
as color, texture, and the contrast between light ;uid shadow. Magritte's
work
is
tixi'd
;md
goal
was
movement,
iilthough Magritte
diil
Slagritir
As
in
de Chirico,
whom
lhi>
Belgian
;u1ist
nu>t
Ix'fore
.\ndre
o{ the
in tiie
made up
writing"
i)y tlu>
means of releasii\g
the world of
dreams and
counten)ai1s,
applied lo
iIk-
all
oi'
ihcin
remained Irue
I<>
the
and
of his
art:
his paintings
why
his
association
Surrealism
with
Breton
that
is
to
life.
This
say with
is
perhaps
canonical
Conceptual Games
In his paintings Magritte uses objects that are familiar to the viewer.
And
represents these
is
produced several
different ways:
m.s
accompanied by
caption "SeenJ'rom the inside," and is
is
possibilities of a
hat.
paradoxical associations
clouds
its
Throughout
in
this
and reinvented
disassociations
or
metaphors appealed to the advertising world and many of his images are
now
became
CBS
television
formed
tion, either
would be complemented by objects transwith which they shared some type of rela-
sun can occupy the space of a person's missing head, while the veins of a
leaf
is typical
of
like
branches on a
tree.
Rene Magritte
1898-1967
II
made years
later. In
both
Tfie
their Uves.
used to play
evening
;us
in
;ls
tiie
^jirl
(
)ne
somehow ga\c
the
young Magritte the sense of painting as a magical act, charged with revelatory powers. Indeed, a sense of tlie magic and mystery in art remained
with Magritte throughout his
life
when he
around
first
1923.
cUusses
ai1
;ls
own
firm Peeters-Lacroix
isolation
earned a
living designing
L.
this
including Pierre
artists,
TliLs
I.s
Ntti
ivrsjdM.s-
rity
more flamboyant
conducted their
of bourgeois li\es
biochemists, and
civil
arti.stic
schoolteachers,
wanted
it
in\pl\ a
else in conditions
Surrealist
vwu
Surrealism
in
we have been
'riu>
IMirtdiifinatic
our
iij
Ihr
rt't{liict
s stu-
;ui "artist
uHinl, apfMxiranre,
and
fuHcliuii.
Cmcl n
li\
c more
it
is
possible to hv a
fraflic regulations."
Paris
this
If)'
picture, a
I*ipe,
tn-lwifn objfrU
"What
liK'S-9. Magrillr
l>aiultyi sn^'rnl
Surrealist group.
realists
Mnsusi)ecte(l oi
representation of
;ls
Le Centaure galleiy
During
when
Magritl(>
in Bni,ss(>ls,
and
had
his
rn-st
)ne-pei-s)n (>xhibition at
sur-Marne, just outside of Paris. Ilert\ thanks to his Belgian friend (ioen\ans,
Salvador
Dali, Magritte
bition of 192S
trtlh
time
Nouge, and Andre Souris; together they eventually formed the Belgian
Ihilike their
pholograplud
19,17
T.
ill
world."
tlie
(iiinyilli- .Uagrillr
(U)i<es
Max
showed some of
al (i()cin;uis'sgaller.\
and
w
>'
his
Magiitte
works
ii\itially
participated in
all
the
iHspimi by
Ikr
tU pjOA
(jurve
fU4\,
activities of the
whose
last issue
A Straight Path
After he
moved back
Rape
on a
que
le
Sur-
realisme? and the cover image for the tenth issue of the Surrealist review
first
show
in
New
During the Second World War Magritte's commercial career was tem-
Gablik,
porarily put
on
Magritte's philosophy
makes
it
difficult to
The consistency of
speak of an evolution
in his
work or to distinguish between different phases; but during the war years
Magritte embarked on some rare stylistic experimentations. Belgium was
invaded by Germany early on and perhaps in an attempt to raise his spirits from the gloom of occupation, Magritte began painting in a colorful,
exuberant style knowoi as his "Impressionist" or "Renoir" period. These
paintings borrowed the style and subject matter of the Impressionists
reclining female nudes, pastel coloring, loose brushstrokes
but
still
made
At the end of the war Magritte joined the Belgian Communist Party (he
in the party
soon
own work, he
resumed his Surrealist activities, contributing to manifestos and pamphlets and renewing ties with old colleagues from the Belgian Surrealist
group, such as Nouge, Scutenaire, and Marcel Marien.
and is
he had painted
six years
earlier.
also
commissions, including
the ceiling of the Theatre Royale in Brussels and the walls of the gaming
hat
worn by
so
in
Modem Art.
to the
New
work
United States
The Museum of
modem
painter.
He continued
painting
and
fea-
work
York
at
two years
of
Modem
Ait in
New
York.
one
at the
in his
modem art.
Museimi
works are
Plates
fnaguSt
Displaced Objects
"His art has the
power
is realistic
easily recognizable,
Threatening Weather,
amused,
their context
is
not: loaves of
bread
a tree
is
superimposed on a
leaf,
takes the place of an eye. This altering of reality through a displacement of objects
mechanism
if
we
is
a balloon
the main
see in our
Max
Ernst,
complex when the objects are, in fact, somehow related and not just arbitrarily thrown together. In 1936 Magritte had an enigmatic dream-vision in which he saw a large egg inside a bird
cage instead of the sleeping bird that was actually in the cage: "Thus I discovered a new and
astonishing poetic secret since the impact of the image was created by the afflnity between the
cage and the egg, while previously the impact of images derived from encounters of foreign
10
llic
if not irritated,
attempts
to
explain
sifinifictince ofliis
lui
i)ifipire
ideas rather
Tlic \ oicf
iiiitit/is III
(mill
tif tlu"
Miufritlr's iMiititiiifts
i)iiiliiifi Its
(I
iiiiiins
fniw Ihr
ami
i/rl
loir
in
I'l
tliry Si
uxtrid.'
II
3,
undated.
Tlie bells
Difficult Crossing,
who
them
in
what appears
to
6, 7
to
somewhat
painting.
12
Charming
is
an ejcample of Magritte's
9,
The
10
7.967.
apparent,
in the sliy.
niakirif/
11
llu"
The
(jLsi loin
I'yiciuvs.
m.s piihitiiifi
I<).-,!).
is
mi))niiiiriit(il holli in
Ihr hulk
III'
ils nirkij
liiiiiii
urn-
niiliiiarily
less iiKii-kriithIr, as
his
i)iii>iiliirili/ ill
till-
Iniliit Stiiirs
iiirii'iisril.
15
12
c.
I960. Magritle
was fascinated by
it
the
would
16
mm^i^
13
inniinilli/,
iin-aiiiiig;
ill llii-
II
II
77iiii- (/i,s;>/ii(-t/
It
til
n'VI
>nl
lirilight ski/.
i:
VT
14
transforms one object into another. His paintings are populated with
"mergings"
Here
as
is
ashtrays wants
to
put a bonier on
it,
he
it
is
functionally related
the dress or the shoe taking the shape of the body or the foot
which
it
bears
some formal
similarity
the
fragility
fish
or with
transformed into a
cigar.
language, one of the overriding themes of Magritte 's work. In one of his
most emblematic
line of text
reads "this
is
7).
image of a pipe a
what we see is only the representation of an object and not the object
itself, and also leads us to reflect upon the mystery of the most innocent of
that
18
14
for
it
its
fitting one."
name
drawing. I hope
it
will please
you as much
15, 16
1961 fhspilr
tin-
rffitl
i.s-
19
"l-^vtu
20
.
17,
18
an-
iilirai/x n-lntifi
in
19
/.'J^i*.
The analogy
hettct-en the
bmnch, and
le^f.
as well as their
is
l>et>eeen Irre,
fiositio}!
si'vne.
21
20
shoes and clothing merge with the bodg. Magritte had explored this last thone, a
nightgown assuming
vnth
22
In
the
Memoriam Mack
it is
meant
to cover, ten
years earlier
21
Tlif noiiuiin
(if
ill
liitii'
ixiinlitii)
iiiiiifliiKiri/ iiiiiiliiii-
<iii
Ihr wiiiilowsill,
for
tlir
rirm'r
is
II
ill
Ihr
..j,i
'
minoifdiN
rfidmtly
< tiir't
rWfl/nrf to
Jtngasan
niiistiii
23
22
Painted
22
bottle,
painting
the
bottles
during
or dated.
starry sky.
odd contrast
to the
weightlessness offlight.
24
S5
Conflicting Images
The main function of painting, according
into a tool of knowledge, forcing
one
to Magritte,
is
to convert a gaze
unaccustomed
ways." To achieve this goal, the familiar objects that constitute Magritte 's
means of accomplishing
tween
artist's
that is
to their settings.
and reveal
unchanging.
26
Guides), 1937.
26
Naiunil Kiuoimti-rs,
holitx
ill
Wonis
for
its limiii is
luul ln)iiX(>s,
<i
iii
/.'<-.')
77i;-nr//rt/
iTl'i-n-un- In .Uotintti-'s
which "cannon"
is
u the right
f/i.
..ir tcvl
prtipasrd as a suhslitute
. I
28
26
Memory,
litiit' JU'sh
I!)14),
W.'Ifi.
and
lilood, crokt's
Gioiyia
I'Jfcrt
<lr
is at the
(jf
name
l>JVf
on Magrilte.
is
outdoor setting.
v-Tr^-^r-tif
i9
28
fTia^tixit.
28
offruit on
Realities, 1964.
a lalAr literaUy
upon
.scale,
its
relative position,
30
and
location.
and
"still life"
the table
29
The
Miu/ntir u-mlr
n/i/iii/.v iiinit
this iHiiuling
camr
Kitjijlliiiig
uhnl
nyursi fnra
im-
wr
uy l<r
"
siif-pttrtntil
iirtist.
31
32
30
l):uition>u.s
Ihv
Hill
rii-ir
ill
IhnI
lliis
coiilnulirls
lir.s
insr.
llir
tin-
il
was
afaiHirilc llirmc
ill
is
'
uifs.
-
itnd
hiiirs.
iiiiichiiirry
ill o()i>
iniaiir that
mirmr
or in fad m<mliHg,
of thrsr
Uir saiiir
iii l)tuiit
ustirss ohjtrfs
ami
riy-v/in/ ohjrrts
liiiif
and
SiinyrtlisI citrirs
ildfusrs Ihrir
siibifrsii^' iHim'rs.
S3
32
32
is
uj'loi in the
Magritte.
34
ofde Chirico
canvases ofde
bell,
however,
is
pure
33
Tlu>
Maniod
svvcnil ifisiuiia
Priest. I!>r,l
iij
lliis
iniist
'/'//(
(iikI
mask
his
Mnfirillc imiiitiii
/mm
a lulc urittrii
trii
bi/ Jiiirs
in irhiih innniiii
nir ihsliiiitllt>r a tniifir
ISIi.').
ddiit/litri
.</.
.*5
until the
they
all
ed by the electric
lights
artist's
streetlights.
They
the heavens above are of a clear daytime blue, furrowed by the "good-
nighttime
reigns in the
bottom half of the canvases. Yet the incompatibility of the sky above and
the night below
is
not perceived at a
first
which painting
virtuality
36
is
glance.
The Dominion
artistic ideology,
cannot be verified
in
everyday experience.
series
according to
realities
whose
34
II,
1950. Hie
night
thereby making
it
paradoxically
more disquieting.
35
195-11.
.scries,
in
some
the scene is
effect
of the
37
lliis is
one of the
Tlie
1967.
II
II
II
Magrittean passion.
last
and
Tliis is
one of the
38
11
II
38
Till"
Doiniiuoii of
(iislaiil Hint
hritili/iirss
Li>;lil, 1!>').1.
tij
Ihr ddi)
ami
lost,
Ilir
As
rirw
llir
is iiiiirli iiiurr
iiocliiniiU
S9
He produced a series of
manner of representation
was replaced by images crackling with color and life and constructed with
loose brushstrokes reminiscent of Renoir's late style. It became known as
In 1943 Magritte's
twist.
move towards
Second World
ferred to describe
it
cated" from the ranks of the Surrealists. Magritte soon returned to his
established style, but despite his detractors he remained convinced that
40
The
39
many
from
title
sunvunding field
Magritte wrote:
it
nffioweis.
"[it J is
Of its
neither
tlie
picture, by
its title.
"
40
Tliis
/.'')./.
"Impn'ssioiiisI"
itliiisr is
Renoir
iil /,<-.s
r.rifiihtl
of itlmsiitv
./'(urn
ill
'i>llrltrs
SUifiiittr's
tit
(iii(llii{lillnirnt iloiiiitintr
thr riolinist's
iiitlirr
fMintituifnim
uxtt^limr
his
lilr
.\
st-nsr
Spring Klt-nial
41
and Exterior
Interior
The
between
transition
interior
elements
in his
and exterior
is
explored in
many
of
becomes a window
method
it
into a meditation
scape
which,
in turn, is also
in
same time
42
cloud
41
and
and
42
Tin" Clouds.
iiiradiiifi llir
is (il.so
I!).t9.
llif nist-i
standa.
tH-liiifii ixtiiiliiig
hij trtliiig
in
ntmns; il
mid riru^rr
tin-
4.t
comments on
the
way
in
realilg. II
the natural
M4
44
Month of llu'(iri>|H'-n;u-\'sl.
/.'>.W.
Tlirfrii-ir oJ'tHiwirrhntltfl
one
"tii
<ij
llw
tn-
si-(l hitiuli/fiil
vietf*\i
as
and
"
46
45
Tliis
accumulation.
46
Mi
Mi'inon
iira.loiinic.v. /.'W.l.
iiii/slrriiiiislii ilhiiiiiiiatitl
/(/
Ihr
m.s
lif/ht
i>rlr(lieii scriir ix
somrhoH-
47
48
47
Where
Eiirlid
Walked,
I9'>5.
Xaiimtjhr
(lir u-til-kiiou-u
48
UKU.
In n
as iminling.
chamrtnislir Magrillran
onlrr of a
hiiiltliiifi, ifliich,
in
liiiii,
'lic
>>
by
49
Tlie
enigmatic element.
50
50, 51
r.
ri;ini;insm.
imil
TH'
Countn
as u
.1
,i,
Mm
,!..
I-
> ../,,
Ihr
51
IM
52
The
Field-Glass, 1963.
What
lies
how
explored
is the
The
exterior
and
opposition oftlie
52
The opposition of
compounded by the
natural and the artificial.
intei'ior is
not
The
itself visible in
an idea of one
The idea
to a meditation
is
employs
in his paintings
things.
amount
54
arise
from
Fuliirisls.
Magritte
was
interested,
visible the
absence of an
score
its
ways shunned
descriptive or explanatory
titles:
is
"titles
why
Magritte
al-
must provide a
54
irliieli
Idler
gave way
lo
itwre
SiirrealisI imagery.
These funda-
iiifluencp of Robert
55
sifjiizaliori
painting as shotving
55
56
57
Til.
Thilh.
ftainlii,
6y IjiriHanto
tin
Ij.st Si|t|N>r.
H-hiHt
(mti k
tabi,
fop of
.IN
If iiir
ftrntirted
OH/
st>
Hi^f nnrr
'
k>i
>H* MUM'
ha*
&S
50
rin- Aiiu)H)iis
ihirkciicd iiilcrior is
itoic t)-(ttisl(in)if(l iiild
(I
hrifiht laiiilsiiiiK-
with a
tiinl
lirr.
Ihr
srii.
lioiisi;
coUagm
iff
Utur fVx vf
59 The Great Family, 1963. "Bird in llic .s7i//, crossed by skies," the pod Henri
Michau.r wrote of this painting. A bird of prey, emcrtfingfroni the water, is one of
Magritte'sfinest examples of the relativily of borders to presence and absence.
58
60
Tlie
UuMvr of Fin<,
who
itnxiurrd o Jltniii'
of ivck."
Ill
(I
rmolimi J'vll
of
pieces
two
iiicoiiibiisliblr objitis,
of jmjH'i:
.yj
fil
'^it^fttak
Justice Has Been Done, 1958. The charadcr dressed as a classiail Iribmir is
Han-y Torczyner, MagriUe's lawyer and goodfnend, and later a scholar and collector
of the artist's work. The balloon over his head is appnrrriHi/ an allusion to Torrzi/ver's
(il
love of travel.
62
Up
60
painting
is
the
iii'^.
61
List of Plates
Throateniiis Weather.
(5-i
T.iciu). Hdkiiid
l<)2f).
Oil on rativas, 21
'A
22
28'A"
Mr.
Painted
l)()ltie,
lielfliuin
(7,')
A',
I'liolo:
(iinuidon
on canvas, 45% X
23
Tlie idol,
19lh'>.
Oil on canvas, 21
'A
ST'A:"
24
(13 X
l.icni). Harrt/
and
pencil, 5'A
5'/."
25
X 25Vx
Collectio)i,
"
Bntssels
26
Mr.
I'rince
Collection, Bru.^isels
A"
The Listening-Room, 7.95.9. Oil on canvas, 15 x 17
(38 X 45 cm). Private collection. Photo: Giraudon
27
28
8
(97 X
DO em).
The Beautiful
(50 X 40 cm).
,58'//'
Isij
The
New
Photo: Giraudon
York
30
31
10
11
7"
on canvas, 15 A X 12V"
collection. Photo:
Giraudon
collection. Photo:
28 A X 45%"
Giraudon
32
13
(72 X
collection,
New
31% X 39%"
York
33
34
U, 1950. Oil
Museum
of Modern
31% X 39"
on canvas,
Ait,
New
York
Brussels
16
16%s"
36
17
Treasure Island, 1942. Oil on canvas, 23% x 31V/
(60 X 80 cm). Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique,
37
Brussels. Photo:
Giraudon
19
The Inward Gaze, 1942. Oil on canvas,
(60 X 74 cm). Private collection, Brussels
23% X 29%/
21
796.2.
Gouache, 13% X
62
38
The Dominion of
The
Mr and
3r/
20
17'A
70'/,"
40
DC.
The
Dr Jean
New
York
(60 X 55 em).
41
on canvas,
Rni.'i.'iels
23% x 21%"
Collection, Chichester,
Sussex
42
TluCloiids.
/!).{;>.
(.iJt.-i
Urm).
56
iA
The
44
Month
Bosom.
'I'lic
/.'A/'/.
Oil on
iiiiini.s. If/
67
7'A'
olllic (iia|)(llan('sl,
X KiOciii).
(I.H)
45
lliimari Coiulilioii.
JO cm)
(25.5 X
l!)'>!).
Oil mi
ciiiirii.'i,
51
'A
ti.l"
X 43'A' (90 X
10 cm).
Memoiy
ol a .loiinicy,
47
51%"
/.''>.>.
Mii.tciiin oj
Modern
.\il,
1.10
cm).
<>l :\rl.^.
60
The
iimask.-d
(75 X 91 cm).
Oil on ciinras,
iiivei-so. I!).L>.
Minnrapolis
50
12% X
.11'/,
Isfi
Hnuhol
X HI cm).
,{Ji
iH'/.
21'/,'
dallrru. Hnimiti*
on
ranixis. .19)4
.11
nUU
(louaclu: 10
11
'
C'li ichi'.sirr,
.Sus-scr
61
JiLslici
J!l
15'/,
//'/,*
X 35%'
29'/.-
49
III.
MX x 4TA'
Hounlon
'/."
(M.5
48
X 54 cm)
(J7 X
\rir York
45K x J/ 'A*
HrunarU
Mfiiil Colhttioii.
(1(X)
(Id.)
59
((junlrysiili'
(7.1.5
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Selected Bibliojjraphy
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54
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de
and Hudson,
Hany .V.
21'A"
lielfiiqnc,
Ijindoii,
Abmnis.
Sew
1970
1974
1972
Sfilrester, Darid, Ma^ritte. Fo/k/.v .Menaloi; Antu-'ii>, 1992
Ton-zi/nci; Hany, Miigrille: Ideas aiwl Inuiftes. Harry .V Ahinms,
.\cw Yoi-k, 1977
.\. .M.,
Ma^rille.
dcs
Hammachcr,
Whitrjield,
Samh,
Sew
Hank
York,
York,
Cetilrr.
LandoM, 1992
63
Cohen
Bums
ISBN 0-8109-4680-7
Copyright
Reproductions copyright
1994
A Times
Mirror
New
York
Company
No part
may
64
9999 02955
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WITHDRAWN
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ABRAMS TITLES IN
THE (iKKAl MODERN MASTEK8 SERIBB
Kach iHjlumc includes
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colDrjtlates
BACON
CHAGALL
DALI
I)E
HIRICO
KANDLNSKY
KLEE
KOKOSCHKA
L^GER
MAGRITTE
MATISSE
MIR6
PICASSO
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titles
are in preparation
A5" (116 ^
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^^Hj^ra
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tic painting of a
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P^P^'"
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word pipe
also
showed
ings to things
including
his
own
mean-
art.
He
)rovoke thought,
lated objects, he
le
commonplace
ne the master of
"magic realism." Magritte collaborated with
the Paris Surrealists, but kept his distance
.vith
the fantasti
0-8109-4680-7
90000
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