René Magritte

[Aitch]

There's quite an interesting article (well, review of an exhibition) in today's Observer's New Review section on René Magritte.

I must admit, I rather prefer his work to other Surrealists (Dali, de Chirico etc), even with his bowler-hat fetish. Not sure why - maybe a second reading of the article will help. Maybe it's down to the lack of a fantasy aspect to his work.

More of his pictures here.

Anyone else like to rank him amongst the Surrealists? With reasons?

Shame the exhibition is at Tate Liverpool - won't be able to get to it.

 

[dropzone]

Never heard of him.


Okay, I saw one some 45 years ago that was of a miniature rhino standing, dwarfed, by a chair leg, but I haven't found it since.

 

[Garrette]

I knew/know little of Magritte, but I like "The Dominion of Light" at your link.

 

[Pacal]

Magritte is one of my favorite painters. His talent of using eeryday objects and scences and then putting them together is truly grotesque juxispositions was extraordinary and evocative. My favorite painting of his is Le Faux Mirrior - The False Mirrior.

 

[Monketi Ghost]

One of my favorites, certainly my favorite surrealist.

He didn't paint realism, per se, transcended to surrealism; if not for the fantasy elements he loved (odd placement, inappropriate lighting, random or unreal objects) his paintings are pretty uninteresting, and the subjects rendered without much detail.

It was his ideas I love. By contrast, Dali was a very realistic painter but his concepts often smacked of trying way too hard to be surreal.

One of my favorites is the "Empire of Night" series... another is dropzone's avatar. I remember watching "Diff'rent Strokes" as a kid, and one of the characters had "The Son of Man" on his wall.

I love Golconda.

 

[Accidental Martyr]

I saw a Magritte exhibit in Montreal in 1996. I've always liked Magritte more than Dali.

 

[Accidental Martyr]

Reminds me of this Paul Simon song:

 

[epepke]

I love the Empire of Lights series, but another one that always gets me is the Domain of Arnheim. http://www.abcgallery.com/M/magritte/magritte43.html

 

[TmoonII]

.. I've always liked Magritte more than Dali.

But the Dali Museum is so persuading.

 

[Accidental Martyr]

But the Dali Museum is so persuading.

Yes, I've been to the Dali museum, it was cool.

 

[Almo]

Telescope:

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/m/magritte/telescop.jpg

Note that you can only see when you look through the glass. I saw this one in person, and it was stunning. There's something frightening about the black outside.