A sense of the amazing, the surprising, and the ridiculous
It is impossible to overlook the influence of René Magritte (1898-1967) on contemporary art. His surrealistic painting turns the usual order of things ironically on its head, thus restoring mystery to a world that has lost its magic.
His work typically conveys a sense of the amazing, the surprising, and the ridiculous - but also the unsettling. Without a specific message, Magritte’s paintings nonetheless speak to us, creating a connection between opposites on an associative level. Thus a dinner roll can with complete naturalness fly past a barred dungeon opening.
In discussing his art, Magritte spoke of ’inspired thoughts’: he was indeed a painter-philosopher who thought in pictorial form and moved with seemingly playful lightness in the exalted atmosphere of his own imagination.
His work typically conveys a sense of the amazing, the surprising, and the ridiculous - but also the unsettling. Without a specific message, Magritte’s paintings nonetheless speak to us, creating a connection between opposites on an associative level. Thus a dinner roll can with complete naturalness fly past a barred dungeon opening.
In discussing his art, Magritte spoke of ’inspired thoughts’: he was indeed a painter-philosopher who thought in pictorial form and moved with seemingly playful lightness in the exalted atmosphere of his own imagination.
About the Series:
Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Art Series features:
Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Art Series features:
- a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance
- a concise biography
- approximately 100 colour illustrations with explanatory captions
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Magritte
Softcover with flaps, 7.3 x 9.1 in., 96 pages, $ 9.99
Online currently not available |
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Coming soon Dalí - 2014 Diary with plastic cover and spiral binding, 6.9 x 8.7 in., 124 pages, $ 15.99 The perfect diary for the year you make it happen. TASCHEN Diary Dalí 2014 |
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Dalí Hardcover, 9.4 x 11.8 in., 96 pages, $ 14.99 A genius with a right to indulge in whatever lunacy popped into his head |