Page 31 - Studio International - February 1969

In these times of ours, when great changes are tions and time-wasting formulas. In his own and in this lies the total originality and capital
supposed to be taking place while, in fact, words : 'My pictures are images. No image can importance of his intervention. To distend
liberty is struggling to retain its identity, the be described validly unless one's thoughts are and, if necessary, violate these relationships of
works of art which will last are those which directed towards its liberation.' Those who size, position, lighting, alternation, substance,
embrace the widest psychophysical field, and speak disparagingly of Magritte's 'imagery' mutual toleration and gradual development is
whose author has avoided all restrictions most and reproach him for going against the grain to introduce us into the heart of a secondary
convincingly. Confronted with a mind which of present-day 'researches' in the plastic arts figuration which transcends the first by all
has reached the threshold of trance, one very should beware : they are simply revealing the those means which rhetoric categorizes as
soon becomes aware of the tiny dimensions of limits of their own intelligence. Magritte's use `figures of speech' and 'figures of thought'. It
the world of certain prematurely sanctified of figurative means corresponds to a far more is only the absolute scrupulousness of the kind
artists, whether they betray themselves by a conscious determination than may be sup- of concrete figuration proposed by Magritte
plethora of flying lovers or by the proliferation posed, since it is equally relevant at two diff- that preserves the great semantic bridge which
of rickety fences as far as the eye can see, or even erent levels, of which only the more modest allows us to pass from the proper meaning to
the imbroglio of supposed 'symbols' under- level can be readily understood. Certainly the figurative meaning and to conjugate these
taking to anticipate the thing signified. Sub- Magritte's initial concern is to reproduce the two meanings with a single glance, with the
mission to non-artistic disciplines or to com- objects, sites and living creatures which make aim of achieving 'perfect thought', that is to
mercial pressure, entailing compromise with up our everyday world in order to reconstitute say, thought that has achieved complete eman-
fashion and routine, is the most positive guar- its appearance for us with absolute fidelity. cipation.
antee of stagnation and relegation to historical But far beyond this, Magritte is concerned to The genius of René Magritte lies in his con-
insignificance. make us conscious of the latent life of all these stant and urgent reaffirmation of this prin-
No artist typifies more admirably than Rene components by drawing attention to the con- ciple. Surrealism owes to him one of its most
Magritte a complete break with these limita- stant fluctuation of their inter-relationships, essential and most recent—dimensions. 1961

4
Euclidean walks 1955
oil on canvas 63½ x 51 in.
Minneapolis Institute of Arts: William
Hood Dunwood Fund
Photo: Minneapolis Institute of Arts
5
The idol 1965
oil on canvas 21 x 25½- in.
Private collection, New York
Photo: Galerie Alexandre Iolas, Paris