What is Rene Magritte birthday?

Rene Magritte was born at 1898-11-21

When was Rene Magritte died?

Rene Magritte was died at 1967-08-15

Where was Rene Magritte died?

Rene Magritte was died in Brussels, Belgium

Which age was Rene Magritte died?

Rene Magritte was died at age 68

Where is Rene Magritte's birth place?

Rene Magritte was born in Lessines, Belgium

What is Rene Magritte nationalities?

Rene Magritte's nationalities is Belgian

Who is Rene Magritte spouses?

Rene Magritte's spouses is Georgette Berger

Who is Rene Magritte siblings?

Rene Magritte's siblings is Paul

Who is Rene Magritte's father?

Rene Magritte's father is Léopold Magritte

Who is Rene Magritte's mother?

Rene Magritte's mother is Régina Magritte

Rene Magritte - Surrealist Artists, Life Achievements and Childhood

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Overview
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Belgian Artists Miscellaneous Surrealist Artists Scorpio Celebrities

Rene Magritte's Personal Details

Rene Magritte was a Belgian surrealist artist known for his thought-provoking images that force the observers to think beyond their perceptions of reality

Information	Detail
Birthday	November 21, 1898
Died on	August 15, 1967
Nationality	Belgian
Famous	Artists, Miscellaneous, Surrealist Artists
Spouses	Georgette Berger
Siblings	Paul
Known as	Rene François Ghislain Magritte
Birth Place	Lessines, Belgium
Gender	Male
Father	Léopold Magritte
Mother	Régina Magritte
Sun Sign	Scorpio
Born in	Lessines, Belgium
Died at Age	68

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Rene Magritte's photo

Last First

Who is Rene Magritte?

Rene Francois Ghislain Magritte was a surrealist artist who created such works of art that intrigue the observers’ minds and force them to question their own perceptions of reality. The most admirable thing about this artist was that he steered clear of elaborate imagery or intricate designs while using simple graphics and day-to-day objects to create paintings that gave newer meaning to already existing notions. He had the reputation of having the ability to make people think through the witty messages he conveyed through his drawings. He had began drawing as a young boy and realized that he wanted to spend the whole of his life drawing, sketching and painting. A tragic incident that happened in his childhood deeply influenced his painting style—his mother committed suicide by drowning and her body was found with her dress covering her face. This imagery stayed with him and is reflected in many of his paintings where the object’s face is not exposed. He initially followed an impressionist style of painting though he later on became more inclined towards surrealism. Before becoming a successful artist he used to design wallpapers and illustrate advertisements—whatever work he did, he was always a true artist at heart. Today, he is widely recognized for having influenced pop, minimalist and conceptual art.

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Childhood & Early Life

He was born as the eldest son of Leopold Magritte, a tailor and textile merchant and his wife Regina. He received drawing lessons from the time he was 12 years of age.

Not much is known about Magritte’s early life except for the fact that his childhood was scarred by a very tragic incident. His mother committed suicide by drowning herself in the River Sambre. His mother’s death affected him deeply.

He started painting as a teenager and his earliest known paintings date from 1915. Initially he adopted an Impressionistic style.

He enrolled at the Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels in 1916 where he studied under Constant Montald. He remained there for two terms till 1918, though he did not think much of the experience.

Career

From 1918 till 1924, the paintings he produced, most of which were female nudes, reflected futurism and the figurative Cubism of Metzinger.

He served for a short while from December 1920 till September 1921 in the Belgian infantry before becoming a draughtsman in a wallpaper factory where he designed posters and advertisements till 1926.

He sold his first art work, a painting of the singer Evelyn Brelin in 1923. This led to a contract at the Galerie la Centaure in 1926 which enabled him to become a full-time artist. The very same year, he created his first surreal painting, ‘The Lost Jockey’.

He began to delve deep into surrealism, often using everyday objects and simple imagery to create confusing images. He used to play with people’s imagination by combining elements of reality with fantasy which challenged people’s minds to find out the real meaning behind his paintings.

He held his first exhibition in 1927 in Brussels where he showed 61 of his paintings. The exhibition was a failure and critics reviewed his paintings very harshly. Depressed, he left for Paris.

He became friends with the French writer and poet, Andre Breton, who was a leading surrealist in Paris. There he developed his own style of surrealism, incorporating a dreamlike quality into his paintings.

He painted ‘The Lovers’ in 1928 which shows a couple kissing with their heads covered in grey bags. One of his more popular painting, ‘The Treachery of Images’, painted the following year depicts a pipe with the caption ‘This is not a pipe’.

The Galerie la Centaure closed down in 1929 and Magritte was left with no steady income. He returned to Brussels in 1930 and went back to work at the wallpaper factory. He along with his brother Paul opened an agency which helped him earn a modest livelihood.

He stayed in Brussels even during the World War II after the German Occupation. This upset his friend Breton who cut all ties with him. During this time (1943-44), his art was heavily influenced by the impressionist artist, Auguste Renoir.

During the mid to late 1940s, he supported himself by making forgeries of the paintings of Picasso, Braque, and Chirico to sell to the Germans. He also made fake bank notes to survive through the post-war period.

He regretted the counterfeiting later on, but admitted that there was no other way to survive during the bleak war time. After the situations improved, he returned to his surrealistic style of art in 1948.

Major Works

One of his best known paintings is ‘The Treachery of Images’ which depicts a pipe with the caption ‘This is not a pipe’. What the artist meant was that the painting as a whole was just an image of a pipe, not an actual pipe.

His painting ‘The Son of Man’ is a self-portrait that shows a man in an overcoat with his face obscured by a hovering green apple. There is the sea and a cloudy sky in the background. This was considered to be one of his most confusing paintings.

Personal Life & Legacy

He met Georgette Berger first in 1913 when they were both teenagers. The couple met again in 1920 and fell in love. Their relationship culminated in marriage in 1922 which lasted till the artist’s death.

Magritte suffered from pancreatic cancer and died in 1967.

The Magritte Museum was opened in May 2009 in Brussels. It is dedicated to the art work of this great surrealist artist and is located near the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.

Trivia

One of this great artist’s paintings was stolen from a museum but was soon returned intact as the thieves were unable to sell it in the black market due to its fame.

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Rene Magritte biography timelines

// 21st Nov 1898
He was born as the eldest son of Leopold Magritte, a tailor and textile merchant and his wife Regina. He received drawing lessons from the time he was 12 years of age.
// 1915
He started painting as a teenager and his earliest known paintings date from 1915. Initially he adopted an Impressionistic style.
// 1916 To 1918
He enrolled at the Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels in 1916 where he studied under Constant Montald. He remained there for two terms till 1918, though he did not think much of the experience.
// 1918 To 1924
From 1918 till 1924, the paintings he produced, most of which were female nudes, reflected futurism and the figurative Cubism of Metzinger.
// 1922
He met Georgette Berger first in 1913 when they were both teenagers. The couple met again in 1920 and fell in love. Their relationship culminated in marriage in 1922 which lasted till the artist’s death.
// 1923
He sold his first art work, a painting of the singer Evelyn Brelin in 1923. This led to a contract at the Galerie la Centaure in 1926 which enabled him to become a full-time artist. The very same year, he created his first surreal painting, ‘The Lost Jockey’.
// 1927
He became friends with the French writer and poet, Andre Breton, who was a leading surrealist in Paris. There he developed his own style of surrealism, incorporating a dreamlike quality into his paintings.
// 1928
He painted ‘The Lovers’ in 1928 which shows a couple kissing with their heads covered in grey bags. One of his more popular painting, ‘The Treachery of Images’, painted the following year depicts a pipe with the caption ‘This is not a pipe’.
// 1930
The Galerie la Centaure closed down in 1929 and Magritte was left with no steady income. He returned to Brussels in 1930 and went back to work at the wallpaper factory. He along with his brother Paul opened an agency which helped him earn a modest livelihood.
// 1943 To 1944
He stayed in Brussels even during the World War II after the German Occupation. This upset his friend Breton who cut all ties with him. During this time (1943-44), his art was heavily influenced by the impressionist artist, Auguste Renoir.
// 15th Aug 1967
Magritte suffered from pancreatic cancer and died in 1967.

// Famous Belgian peoples

Rene Magritte's FAQ

What is Rene Magritte birthday?
Rene Magritte was born at 1898-11-21
When was Rene Magritte died?
Rene Magritte was died at 1967-08-15
Where was Rene Magritte died?
Rene Magritte was died in Brussels, Belgium
Which age was Rene Magritte died?
Rene Magritte was died at age 68
Where is Rene Magritte's birth place?
Rene Magritte was born in Lessines, Belgium
What is Rene Magritte nationalities?
Rene Magritte's nationalities is Belgian
Who is Rene Magritte spouses?
Rene Magritte's spouses is Georgette Berger
Who is Rene Magritte siblings?
Rene Magritte's siblings is Paul
Who is Rene Magritte's father?
Rene Magritte's father is Léopold Magritte
Who is Rene Magritte's mother?
Rene Magritte's mother is Régina Magritte
What is Rene Magritte's sun sign?
Rene Magritte is Scorpio