Rene Magritte (1898 – 1967)

Surrealist painter

René François Ghislain Magritte was a Belgian surrealist artist. He became well known for a number of witty and amusing images.

Surrealism A 20th-century literary and artistic movement that attempts to express the workings of the dream-like subconscious by showing fantastic imagery. Realistic images in unrealistic ways.

‘Geocities’. What is unusual about this rock?

Magritte dressed like this man, who appeared in many of his paintings. What is unusual about this man?

The Son of Man

Look very carefully at this picture. What’s unusual about this one?

The Human Condition

Would you like to wear these shoes?

The Red Model

Where is the real sky?

The Great Family

What’s strange about this room?

Personal Values

Which is the correct size?

The Listening Room

“This is not a pipe.” is written in French....IS it a pipe???

Remember, Magritte changed ordinary things to make them look strange and funny.

He changed the size of things (the paintings of the rooms)

He changed the place of things (the castle on the rock in the sky)

He changed the texture of things (the painting in the window)

He changed parts of things (the apple on the man’s nose)

He made you wonder and think (the pipe)

Your job for today is to produce a picture about unlikely combinations, for example, is it likely that you would ever see a man with a birdcage for a body?In a Magritte painting you would!

The Therapist

Would you ever see a train coming out of a fireplace instead of fire?

In a Magritte painting you would!

Time Transfixed

Now think of some objects or animals of your own, take 2 and combine them to make an ‘unlikely combination’. Remember to give your picture an exciting name!

Or you can create a realistic painting of an object or animal and write “This is not a _____.” under your painting.

Make people really wonder about what you have painted, just like Magritte!

“The only thing that is behind my paintings is the wall.”

René Magritte