MuseumChick | Danee Gilmartin

No symbolism? This is hard to imagine when looking at the work of surrealist artist, René Magritte, but as I walked around the museum listening to his interviews from the audio guide I learned that he insisted that there is no symbolism in his work. He stated that he wishes just to express mystery. “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 either, it is unknowable" (Magritte). Despite these statements, many critics still point to symbolic meaning in his work. For example, in his painting, "The Return" (below), the bird image, which he repeats in many of his works, was done at the time of the German occupation in Brussels and is said to have been done to represent the hopeful return of freedom to Belgium. 

The neo-classical building entrance to the Musée Magritte Museum

The Musée Magritte Museum sits in the Place Royale, pictured here with Magritte-esque blue sky and clouds

Starting the exhibit with photographs of famous Magritte paintings

    The brand new Musée Magritte Museum opened its doors last June. Magritte, a native Belgian and surrealist artist, was long overdue for his own museum. This museum takes you through his work, chronologically. First expressing his painful childhood with his mother's suicide, then walking the viewer through his many experiments with other forms of art, such as impressionism and commercial work. The dimly lit galleries and dark painted walls invoke a somber feeling, helping the viewer get into the head of the allegedly isolated Magritte. The museum starts with his painting, "The Secret Player", 1927. This is said to be the first painting completed where Magritte found his distinct style. They also exhibit the most extensive collection of Magritte's work including his very famous and very mysterious "The Dominion of Light" from 1954, that wraps up the exhibit, leaving you impressed with Magritte's unique imagination.

"The Secret Player", 1927. The first painting completed to express Magritte's signature style

Lesser seen commercial work

    Since Magritte is famous for his colorful and mysterious paintings, his statues and commercial work are often less seen. This work is on display, along with his poorly received cartoonish work from his self-proclaimed "vache" period which he experimented with for his solo exhibit at the Galerie Faubourg in Paris. This period is said to have been partly inspired by comic books that Magritte had been reading. The violent colors and composition were meant to convey a vengeful message to his former friends from Paris and his disdainful response to the traditional Parisian style of painting. Parisians responded to this exhibit with aversion and insults and Magritte soon returned to his more popular style.

For more insight on "What is Surrealism".

"The Labors of Alexandre", 1967

Poorly received work done in a cartoonish style that Magritte experimented with. 

  "Mona Lisa", 1967. The curtain and ball image are repeated in many works starting very early in Magritte's career lasting until his death. 

  As you enter the museum you are greeted with this photograph of Magritte imitating his famous expression as seen in many of his works.

 ©2010 Danee Gilmartin All rights reserved