Belgian artist (1898–1967) best known for his paintings in a surrealist, humor-tinged style, often incorporating such trademark elements as bowler hat–wearing men, windows, eyes, and female torsos. Handwritten essay in French, signed “René Magritte,” one page, 8 x 10, May 1967. An important and detailed statement on Magritte’s understanding of art and his mission as an artist, evidently prepared for an article or book. In part (translated): “I conceive of painting as an art of juxtaposing colors in such a way that their appearance fades, and an image is allowed to appear in which familiar figures of the visible are united—in a poetic order—skies, people, trees, mountains, furniture, stars, solids, inscriptions, etc. The poetry of this image consists of symbolic meanings, old or new. The poetic image hides nothing: she only shows figures of the visible, since painting is an unsuitable medium for representing the invisible. The invisible, meaning that which light cannot reveal, has an inestimable value. But one would have to ignore this value, if one desired to make such things visible, for example: pleasure and pain, knowledge and ignorance, the voice and silence. One can try to understand non-traditional painting, but it is not necessary to understand it. Either way, one dies not assume grave responsibility: its just a case of the imaginary irrational. The poetic image was imagined in order to respond to the interest that we test naturally, she directly evokes the mystery that is the true irrational. One should take in poetic images whilst being careful not to reduce ‘the known’ that which is unknown, their reality being of the same ‘genre’ as the reality of the universe.” Magritte died on August 15 of the same year. Accompanied by a photo of Magritte with one of his drawings in April 1967, signed and captioned on the reverse by the photographer, Daniel Frasnay. Faint show-through of glue on reverse, and a hint of subtle soiling and handling wear, otherwise fine condition. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
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