Buyers' Guide to René Magritte

Hidden Gallery is delighted to hold a collection of original artworks by René Magritte, whose legacy is both profound and global. Widely lauded for being one of Surrealism’s most essential exponents, the artist’s prints and paintings are held in major art institutions across the world. His limited-edition, rare works on paper are incredibly sought-after and are perfect for collectors seeking to purchase historically significant works.
Who was René Magritte?

Magritte is regarded as one of the most important modern artists, championed as a primary pioneer of Surrealism. The Belgian artist reconfigured the substance of our physical world, masterfully pulling together disparate images to form a singular, illogical yet inexplicably cohesive composition.

In Magritte's paintings and prints, anonymous men fall from the sky like raindrops. Easels become portals into different dimensions and theatrical drapes hang amongst luminous clouds. The boundaries between reality and representation become slippery when Magritte displaces once familiar objects, imbuing them with new meanings and impelling the viewer to question their own lived experience.
A Unique Voice

Though Magritte worked alongside fellow master Surrealists, such as Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí and André Breton, his style was very distinct. He did not totally agree with Breton’s definitions of the movement and did not embrace automatism in the same way that his counterparts did in Paris. Instead, he aligned himself with the Surrealists in Brussels who rejected psychoanalysis in favour of a more scientific approach to creating art.

The artist’s prior career in advertising taught him how to create convincing imagery, often with a humorous element. Magritte’s execution is so confident and clean that we as the viewers don’t doubt his imagery but rather our own perception.
Magritte as a printmaker

The artist began printmaking when he was in his sixties and fully embraced the medium. Lithography, which requires the layering of multiple printing plates to form a complete image, was an incredibly suitable method for him to create his own carefully layered compositions. Magritte also famously painted with gouache, which has a very flat finish once dry. As lithography is a planographic form of printmaking, the resulting images created have the same slick finish as one of his paintings.
Why should I collect Magritte?

Magritte’s influence was profound, and his teachings can be traced across Pop art, Minimalism and Conceptual art. His work is held in multiple major international institutions such as the Tate Modern and New York’s Museum of Modern Art, as well as his own dedicated museum in Brussels.

His artworks continue to fetch high prices at auction. In November 2024, his work ‘L’empire des Lumières' (1954) sold for $121.2 million at Christie’s in New York - a new record for the artist.

His imagery is regularly copied and reproduced. Collecting an original print by the artist offers an extraordinary opportunity to form a genuine connection with a 20th century Titan.
View the collection
Hidden is thrilled to have recently acquired ten outstanding lithographs featuring Magritte’s magnificently surreal imagery. Originating from the coveted portfolio ‘La Philosophie et la Peinture de René Magritte’ (1979-80), these signed prints were made after some of the artist’s most essential paintings and include a plethora of iconic motifs.

Each lithograph from ‘La Philosophie et la Peinture de René Magritte’ bears Magritte's stamped signature as well as the hand-signature of his wife Georgette Magritte. This is incredibly special as official prints of his artworks were predominantly signed by just his printers. His relationship with Georgette defined a lot of his life and career; she was his childhood sweetheart and muse, and they remained married until his death.
Looking to acquire a Magritte?

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- Rene Magritte, L'Ile au Trésor, from La philosophie et la peinture de René Magritte, 1979-80
  £ 2,950.00