Video from Art History School
Rene Magritte: The Life of an Artist
"Rene Magritte was a Belgian artist, and one of the most famous Surrealist painters. His paintings were characterized by particular symbols—the female torso, the bourgeois “little man,” the bowler hat, the apple, the castle, the rock, the window, and other ordinary objects, which were often set in unusual or unexpected situations. Like other painters of Surrealism his work is mysterious and deliberately difficult to decipher. He married Georgette Berger in 1922 and made friends with Andre Breton, Paul Eluard, Hans Harp, Joan Miro and Salvador Dali of the Parisian Surrealist group. His most important works include The Menaced Assassin, The Red Model and The Enchanted Domain, a mural he created for the Knokke Casino in Belgium. Magritte's work has had a major impact since his death. Pop art, Conceptualism, and the painting of the 1980s can all point to his influence and his work still inspires commercial art and graphic designers all over the world. The Magritte Museum which opened in Brussels in 2009 holds over 200 of Magritte’s paintings, drawings and sculptures, well worth a visit." from video introduction.
As an Art Educator I have always personally admired and been amazed by the art of Rene' Magritte. I hope you enjoy Magritte's unique perspective. Our God is indeed generous in the gifts he gives each of us. - Andy
"Rene Magritte was an internationally acclaimed surrealist artist of all time, yet it was not until his 50s, when he was finally able to reach some form of fame and recognition for his work. Rene Magritte described his paintings saying, "My painting is visible images which conceal nothing; they evoke mystery and, indeed, when one sees one of my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question, 'What does that mean?' It does not mean anything, because mystery means nothing, it is unknowable."
Rene Magritte was born in 1898, to a wealthy manufacturer father. In 1912, his mom was found drowned in the River Sambre. She had committed suicide, and the family was publicly humiliated because of it. From 1916 to 1918, Rene decided to study at the Academie des Beaux-Art, which was located in Brussels. He left the school, because he thought that it was a waste of time. All his paintings afterward reflect cubism, the movements which were introduced by Pablo Picasso and was very popular at the time. In 1922 he married Georgette, and took a number of small jobs, including painting cabbage roses for a wallpaper company, in order to be able to pay the bills..." from the article: Rene Magritte and his paintings
The Magritte Museum (link)
