Magritte And Photography

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The sublime visions of Surrealist master René Magritte often began in a viewfinder. In this major study, photography critic and Magritte scholar Patrick Roegiers draws eye-opening connections between the artist's enduring paintings and his use of photography, both as a hobby and a serious component of his work. Examining over 200 previously unpublished photographs from Magritte's personal collection, Roegiers uncovers important source material and biographical revelations. We see images of friends, including Belgian Surrealists Scutenaire, Nougé, and Mesens, often staged in tableaux. His family, particularly his wife Georgette, is featured in whimsical and earnest poses during their 1927 trip to Paris and subsequent return to Brussels. Notably, Magritte's self-portraiture through photography offers crucial insight into his iconic bowler-hatted figure and works like "La Clairvoyance" from 1936, where he is depicted painting a bird. Later, as his fame grew, he became the subject of other photographers, including Duane Michals during his first trip to the U.S. in 1965 and Adelaide de Menil in Texas, where he humorously traded his bowler for a Stetson. This comprehensive look at Magritte's photographic vision enhances our appreciation of the artist who created "Le Faux Miroir."