Masters of Art: Magritte

Elegant and enlightening, affordable and compact, this introduction to the master of Surrealism helps unlock the mysteries behind Magritte's famous imagery.
Once derided as shocking and indecipherable, the work of Rene Magritte has now become part of the lingua franca of the Instagram age. Works such as The False Mirror, Time Transfixed, and The Treachery of Images are culturally familiar, but not widely understood. This accessible introduction to Magritte's life and career helps readers to decipher the ideas behind Dadaism and Surrealism, to understand these movements and how Surrealism's most famous practitioner also drew on Romanticism. A biographical essay traces Magritte's life and early career in Brussels; his move to Paris, where he met Dalí, Ernst, and Miró; his return to Brussels during the Great Depression where a change in philosophy would disrupt his ties to Surrealism; and his eventual worldwide success and acclaim. The entire span of Magritte's career is brought to brilliant life in chronologically arranged reproductions of works in their entirety as well as in detail. Readers will come away with a solid foundation for appreciating this enigmatic artist, as well as an understanding of the profound and continued impact of his work on artists and popular culture.