Who was Rene Magritte ?

Who was Rene Magritte is one of the questions many love to ask whenever his painting is subject. Rene Magritte is one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Magritte a native of Belgium was one of the Godfathers of surrealism. He is one of the most complicated artists to have existed. His paintings however simple they might have been took the world over a half a century to fully comprehend the meaning. Rene Magritte’s work was so fascinating that even the younger generation of today is still finding it challenging to understand.

Who was Rene Magritte? If you are passionate artist, then you must have come across this question several times. Magritte was born in Lessines, Belgium on November 21, 1898. His passion for painting started when his family moved to Chatelet where he was enrolled in art class. In 1913, his mother killed himself and the rough road began.

In 1916, he quit high school and enrolled in an Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels. It is here that he started nourishing his artistic abilities in drawing, ornamental composition and painting. He loved to paint and draw about the Sambre river where his mother committed suicide.

Between 1922 and 1923 Rene meets and marries Georgette Berger. After experimenting on several artistic styles, his meeting with Georgette changes his style. She actually becomes his biggest inspiration. Magritte began painting objects that had visible details. He tried to place situations to the real world, as a way of communicating something. His first piece ‘nocturne’ was the first to portray this.

Rene and his wife later moved to Paris and this is where all his works of Surrealists became more vivid. Some of his famous works include ‘the black magic’, ‘the rape’, ‘the marches of summer’ and many more. He later died at the age of 68 on 15th August 1967. if you want the answer to ‘who is Rene Magritte’ visit the Museum of Modern Art in New York.


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