In the history of art, there are many different movements and prominent artists of these movements. If you don’t have a special interest, it’s a little difficult to know all of them, but surrealism and the name René Magritte are different for everyone. Are you hearing it for the first time? It may be, but we are sure you have seen his works because he was born in 1898, lived until 1967 and produced countless works that played with our perception of reality.
For René Magritte works, the definition of imaginary is used. Because in his works, he successfully embellished reality with many different concepts such as horror, comedy, quirkiness and weirdness. Since his paintings reflect his childhood traumas and philosophical thoughts, when you stop and look for a moment, you feel that he is touching your emotions hidden in your subconscious. Magritte found her mother, who had committed suicide by jumping into the Sambre River, with her face covered. She was influenced by this image throughout her life and reflected it in her works. Let’s take a closer look at some of René Magritte’s works and briefly see their stories.
René Magritte’s extraordinary works and stories:
The Pilgrim
Unlike other surrealists such as Salvador Dali, René Magritte aimed to avoid stylistic distractions in his 1966 painting The Pilgrim. Since it is one of his latest works, it is clearly seen that the most accurate strategy reflecting his artistic view is repetition.
The Invention of Life
In The Invention of Life, made in 1928, the concepts of death and life are clearly visualized. Both female figures in the picture are looking at the viewer, but while one of them is full of life, it is seen that one of them has a mysterious stance under the cover. René Magritte, whose mother committed suicide at a young age, frequently included faceless figures in his works.
Black Magic
The model depicted in Black Magic, made in 1945, is the artist’s wife. This work is also considered to be René Magritte’s most successful nude work. In this work, where the traces of cubism are clearly seen, a depiction of nature was made through the female body and at the same time, making erotic connotations to the audience was given priority.
The Collective Invention
The Collective Invention, made in 1934, is the work in which the philosophy of René Magritte is presented to the audience in the clearest way. The painting clearly mocks the hundreds of years old mermaid legend. The fact that she was washed ashore is an indication that her power has completely disappeared and that no trace of her beauty, which has buried sailors in the water, remains.
Discovery
It is possible to catch a different detail every time you look at the Discovery painting made in 1928, because here Magritte made a study by prioritizing the concept of combined objects. The veined wood structure on the naked female body and the flame patterns that add eroticism along with the brutality at the same time are the reflection of a strong imagination wherever you look.
Man in a Bowler Hat
Built in 1964, the Man in a Bowler Hat is one of the men with the balloon hats that René Magritte used in his repetition strategy. In the picture, the man’s face is completely covered by the bird. The blueness of the background hides the mystery of whether this painting depicts the open air or a studio.
Golconda
It is clearly seen in the work called Golconda, made in 1953, that René Magritte completely reverses the perception of reality and mocks everything that is customary. The fact that men dressed in the clothes of the period see it raining with their successful perspective studies is an element that brings the picture to life.
homesickness
The Homesickness painting, made in 1940, is accepted as a work in which the artist most honestly reflects his experiences. In this painting, René Magritte describes his feelings in his own language, his disappearance and moreover, his longing for a home despite being at home. It should not be forgotten that the Nazi occupations continued at the time the painting was made.
The Blank Signature
In The Blank Signature, made in 1965, we see a visual reflection of the dream analysis frequently used by surrealists. This optical illusion, based on the idea that there is also a subconscious mind beyond the visible, offers a completely inconsistent frame to the audience, but still does not present an alien show after all.
Ready Made Bouquet
In the Ready-Made Bouquet painting made in 1956, we can clearly see René Magritte’s perspective on the painting. According to him, painting is poetry, poetry is mystery. His aim was not to solve or uncover any mystery, but to create the mystery itself.
The Son of Man
Made in 1946, The Son of Man is one of René Magritte’s best-known works and is also a self-portrait. One of the figures he repeats, the man in the bowler hat, stands in front of a sky wall and his face is covered with a green apple. The fact that his left elbow is slightly bent backwards is a detail that requires attention.
The Art of Living
The Art of Living, made in 1967, is one of the works that the artist painted the year he died. Although the landscape and headless body in the background are familiar figures, the balloon head is quite remarkable. This work is considered to be a surreal look at the effects of minor sins and major sins on society.
The Listening Room
As in many other paintings, we see a green apple in the lead role of The Listening Room, made in 1952. This time this side figure takes up the entire room. The green apple figure that René Magritte uses to create mystery in his works, unlike the others, covers a much, much bigger mystery in this painting.
The Lovers
Made in 1928, The Lovers is a series of two works by René Magritte. The second is the most well-known of these paintings. In this work, in which the kiss of the couple, whose faces are covered with a veil, is depicted, each visible and invisible part of the figures is actually the artist’s interpretation of death, love and life.
The Treachery of Images
The Treachery of Images, made in 1929, has a pipe on its painting and the French ‘This is not a pipe’ underneath. has inscription. This work, which is considered a true masterpiece for Surrealism, presents a three-way paradox to the audience through traditional structures.
We briefly talked about the stories of René Magritte, one of the most important representatives of the surrealism movement, by listing some of his works where you can catch a different detail with every glance. You can share your thoughts about René Magritte and his works in the comments.
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