René Magritte Belgium, 1898-1967

René Magritte is one of the most iconic figures of Surrealism, known for his enigmatic imagery that blends precise realism with poetic strangeness. Born in Lessines, Belgium, he studied at the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts before developing a distinctive style influenced by Giorgio de Chirico and Surrealist literature.

Magritte’s work is marked by his careful rendering of everyday objects placed in paradoxical or unexpected contexts. He challenged the relationship between image, language, and reality, as seen in iconic paintings such as The Treachery of Images ("This is not a pipe") and The Lovers. His art explores illusion, mystery, and the symbolic power of the ordinary.

Rather than relying on dreamlike spontaneity, Magritte adopted a rational, conceptual approach, foreshadowing conceptual art and profoundly influencing later movements such as Pop Art and contemporary visual culture.

His works are housed in the world’s leading museums, including the Magritte Museum (Brussels), the MoMA (New York), Tate Modern (London), and the Centre Pompidou (Paris).