René Magritte is celebrated today as one of Surrealism’s most talented artists, and, alongside Salvador Dalí, the cheeky, subversive Belgian painter and author is the movement’s best-known representative, having cemented his legacy with what may be the most iconic five words in all of art history: “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (This is not a pipe).
Magritte’s success, though, hardly came overnight. Born in 1898 in Lessines to a wealthy manufacturer, he studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels from 1916 to 1918 but quit before graduation. His early artistic work wavered between Cubism and semi-abstraction, and he found work as a graphic designer while experimenting with his own creative oeuvre. In the mid-1920s, he began to experiment with Surrealism, then a relatively nascent movement that had grown out of the absurdist Dada. Led by André Breton, Surrealism endeavored to record elements of the subconscious and present contradictory, sometimes even nonsensical, narratives that challenged the notion of an absolute reality.
Magritte’s first widely recognized work within this genre was 1927’s The Menaced Assassin, now in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Shortly after completing this work, Magritte relocated to Paris, to be closer to Breton and the center of the Surrealist movement. This decision would prove critical in his life — and in the trajectory of Surrealist art history. The three years Magritte spent in Paris were his most prolific, and by the close of the 1920s he had completed some of his best-known work, including the seminal 1929 The Treachery of Images, a simple picture of what appears to be a pipe, with the words “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” in neat script below it.
Magritte returned to Brussels in the early 1930s but continued experimenting with work that wavered between dreamlike and nonsensical. His influences throughout this part of his career ranged from Breton to Giorgio de Chirico and Dalí. While living in German-occupied Belgium beginning in the early 1940s, Magritte entered what is often called his Renoir period or what he labeled “Sunlit Surrealism.” He worked in comparatively brighter, more vibrant colors and produced oil paintings and gouaches that were overrun with light and the type of brushstrokes that are usually associated with Impressionist art.
Like many artists during and after the war, Magritte thought deeply about art’s role in answering big existential questions and broke with Surrealism as a result. His Impressionistic The Fifth Season in 1943 resembled little of what he’d painted in years past. His so-called Vache period that followed would represent another stylistic shift that owed to German Expressionism. Not everything changed, however; Magritte would go on to revisit his earliest creative impulses, in some cases appropriating elements from fellow artists in his own depictions, as with his Perspective II: Manet’s Balcony in 1950, a playful and probing reinterpretation of Edouard Manet’s The Balcony. Later in his career, the artist dabbled in sculpture, before dying in 1967.
Find original René Magritte prints and other art on 1stDibs.
Chants de Maldoror - Rare Book Illustrated by René Magritte - 1948
By René Magritte
Located in Roma, IT
Les Chants de Maldoror is an original modern rare book written by Comte de Lautréamont, pseudonym of Isidore Lucien Ducasse (Montevideo, 1846 — Paris, 1870) and illustrated by René ...
Paper, Photogravure
Le Domaine D'Arnheim, Lithograph on Arches Paper, Modern, 1967
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - Le Domaine D'Arnheim Lithograph from 1967. H.C. XXV/XL on Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 73.7 x 52.7 cm Publisher: Art204, Paris and Chalk & Vermil...
Lithograph
Magie Noire, Lithograph on Arches Paper, Modern, 1967
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - Magie noire Lithograph from 1967. H.C. XXV/XL on Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 73.7 x 52.7 cm Publisher: Art204, Paris and Chalk & Vermillion, New...
Lithograph
L'Ile au Tresor, Lithograph on Arches Paper, Modern, 1967
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - L'Ile au tresor Lithograph from 1967. H.C. XXV/XL on Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 73.7 x 52.7 cm Publisher: Art204, Paris and Chalk & Vermillion,...
Lithograph
Scheherezade, Lithograph on Arches Paper, Modern, 1967
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - Scheherezade Lithograph from 1967. H.C. XXV/XL on Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 73.7 x 52.7 cm Publisher: Art204, Paris and Chalk & Vermillion, Ne...
Lithograph
Le Chant de la Violette, Lithograph on Arches Paper, Modern, 1967
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - Le chant de la violette Lithograph from 1967. H.C. XXV/XL on Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 73.7 x 52.7 cm Publisher: Art204, Paris and Chalk & Ver...
Lithograph
Le Beau Monde, Lithograph on Arches Paper, Modern, 1967
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - Le Beau Monde Lithograph from 1967. H.C. XXV/XL on Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 73.7 x 52.7 cm Publisher: Art204, Paris and Chalk & Vermillion, N...
Lithograph
La Corde Sensible, Lithograph on Arches Paper, Modern, 1967
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - La Corde Sensible Lithograph from 1967. H.C. XXV/XL on Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 52.7 x 73.7 cm Publisher: Art204, Paris and Chalk & Vermillio...
Lithograph
La Page Blanche, Lithograph on Arches Paper, Modern, 1967
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - La page Blanche Lithograph from 1967. H.C. XXV/XL on Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 73.7 x 52.7 cm Publisher: Art204, Paris and Chalk & Vermillion,...
Lithograph
Le Révil-Matin, Lithograph on Arches Paper, Modern, 1967
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - Le Révil-Matin Lithograph from 1967. H.C. XXV/XL on Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 73.7 x 52.7 cm Publisher: Art204, Paris and Chalk & Vermillion, ...
Lithograph
Eloge de la Dialectique, Lithograph on Arches Paper, Modern, 1967
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - Eloge de la dialectique Lithograph from 1967. H.C. XXV/XL on Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 73.7 x 52.7 cm Publisher: Art204, Paris and Chalk & Ver...
Lithograph
Chants de Maldoror - Rare Book Illustrated by René Magritte - 1948
By René Magritte
Located in Roma, IT
Les Chants de Maldoror is an original modern rare book written by Comte de Lautréamont, pseudonym of Isidore Lucien Ducasse (Montevideo, 1846 — ...
Paper, Photogravure
$12,000
H 15.75 in W 11.75 in D 2 in
Nineteen Famous People, Twenty-Two Friends, and Six Nudes
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Handmade portfolio of 47 Polaroid transfer prints with accompanying text by Mark Beard, handwritten in pencil (Edition of 10 + 5 APs) Signed and numbered in pencil 15.75 x 11.75 x ...
Photogravure
$2,405
H 15.75 in W 13 in D 0.4 in
François Xavier Lalanne, bird on lillies, 2006
By François-Xavier Lalanne
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Natural history - François-Xavier Lalanne Etching Numbered out of 70 and signed F.X.L. in pencil Robert and Lydie Dutrou editors 2006. Paper size: 40x33cm Work size: 16x19.5cm
Paper
$1,425
H 41 in W 27 in D 0.3 in
Pan American World Airways Scandinavia by Clipper original vintage poster
By Jean Carlu
Located in Spokane, WA
Original vintage travel poster: Pan American World Airways cy Clipper to Scandinavia. Archival linen-backed and ready to frame. The cent...
Lithograph
$790
H 20.48 in W 16.54 in D 0.04 in
Femme Nu, Lithograph, Modern, 1952, Framed, Excellent
By Henri Matisse
Located in OPOLE, PL
Henri Matisse (1869-1954) - Femme Nu Photogravure from 1952. Dimensions of work: 35.5 x 26.4 cm Publisher: Tériade, Paris. The work is in Excellent condition. Fast and secure sh...
Photogravure
Composition
By Conrad Marca-Relli 1
Located in New York, NY
A very good impression of this color lithograph on wove paper. Signed, dated and numbered 23/90 in pencil.
Color, Lithograph
Descente aux enfers
By Georges Braque
Located in Paris, FR
Lithograph on Japan Paper, 1961 handsigned by the artist in pencil 23 x 19 cm (image) - 32 x 25 cm (sheet) very good condition LCD2804
Lithograph
$899
H 31.5 in W 23.5 in D 0.05 in
Vintage "Cycles Alphonse Thomann", 50th Anniversary bicycle poster 1949 lithog
Located in Spokane, WA
Pier Gobbe's 1949 Cycles Alphonse Thomann poster is a masterpiece of kinetic energy and commercial elegance. Created to celebrate the bicycle manufacturer's 50th anniversary, this lithograph captures the exhilaration of speed through bold graphic simplification and masterful use of limited color. The composition features a bicycle wheel rendered in luminous orange, dominating the composition against a soft blue sky, while a set of wings ingeniously emerges from the center of the tire—a whimsical visual metaphor suggesting the bicycle's power to transport riders swiftly across the landscape. Gobbe's design demonstrates the sophisticated restraint characteristic of 1940s French commercial art. Rather than cluttering the composition with ornamental detail, he focuses on essential forms and a refined color palette of light blue and warm orange, allowing the image to breathe. The unbleached natural cotton paper stock, with its characteristic tan tone, adds authentic period warmth. The typography is confident and clean, perfectly complementing the geometric elegance of the wheel-and-wing motif. This vintage bicycle poster...
Lithograph
Does it FIT and is it RIGHT? NRA original Gun Safety rare poster
Located in Spokane, WA
Original “Does It Fit and Is It Right?” vintage National Rifle Association of America vintage poster. There is some slight foxing on the top section of the poster, as well as a sm...
Lithograph
Les Marguerites
By Georges Braque
Located in New York, NY
Boldly colored floral motif color aquatint. Signed and numbered 48/300 in pencil by Braque.
Color, Aquatint, Lithograph
$495
H 26.5 in W 19 in D 0.05 in
Original Owl and Pussycat Lithograph Poster, Greek, 1960s, Unframed
Located in Spokane, WA
Original The Owl And The Pussycat, by Edward Lear with all text in Greek. Linen backed and in very good condition. One tiny printing flaw under the foot of the cat. Translation:...
Lithograph
Senza titolo (Concetto Spaziale)
By Lucio Fontana
Located in New York, NY
A very good impression of this color photolithograph with strong colors on Magnani Pescia paper. Signed and numbered 101/150 in pencil by Fontana. Printed by Le Arte Grafiche Pardini...
Color, Lithograph
$750
H 39 in W 24.5 in D 0.3 in
Original Cote de Atlantiques - Chemins de fer Francais vintage travel poster
Located in Spokane, WA
Côte de l’Atlantique, Chemins de fer Français vintage SNCF travel poster - Gaston Larrieu, 1971. Original Authentic Vintage Travel Poster — Linen-Backed. Very good condition, ready ...
Lithograph
$395
H 20 in W 13.75 in D 0.05 in
Original "Real Circuo Artistico' Gran Cabalgata vintage poster Barcelona
Located in Spokane, WA
Original Real Circulo Artistico Gran Cabalgata de Barcelona vintage poster. A fun and uplifting image with smiles, parties, and flowers. Real Circulo Artistico is an institution ...
Lithograph
$297Sale Price|33% Off
H 12 in W 11.6 in D 0.6 in
Analphabetogramme - Signatur Objekt Nr. 23 (Collages, Assemblages, Surrealism)
By Jiri Kolar
Located in Kansas City, MO
Jiri Kolar (Jiří Kolář) Analphabetogramme - Signatur Objekt Nr. 23 (Collages, Assemblages, Poetry, Surrealism) Analphabétogramme (hand-pressed copper print) with matte Year: 1995 Size: 12×11.6×0.6in Edition: 756 of 990 Signed, numbered by hand Publisher: First Edition, Verlag Rommerskirchen, Rolandseck - Germany COA provided Ref.: 924802-1933 White original cardboard in a Plexiglas slipcase, signed and numbered, number 756 of 990. 28 pages in block book form, texts and colored illustrations of collaged sculpture photographs, 1 loosely enclosed hand-signed original hand-pressed copper print ("Analphabétograms") under passepartout. The cardboard cover is cut out like a passe-partout so that the title illustration is visible when the book is hung on the wall as an art object using the acrylic glass frame provided. Tags: Czech artist,Poet,Visual artist,Political activist,Collages,Assemblages,Poetry,Surrealism,Dada...
Copper
$5,500
H 8.5 in W 10.75 in D 0.5 in
Monograph: Francis Bacon (hand signed and warmly inscribed by Francis Bacon)
By Francis Bacon
Located in New York, NY
Francis Bacon Francis Bacon (hand signed and warmly inscribed by Francis Bacon), 1975 Softcover catalogue with stiff wraps (hand signed and warmly inscribed by Francis Bacon) hand si...
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset, Felt Pen
Les bijoux indiscrets
By René Magritte
Located in OPOLE, PL
René Magritte (1898-1967) - Les bijoux indiscrets Lithograph from 1975. Edition 371/575 (Photocopy of the colophone is included). Dimensions of work: 31 x 24 cm. Plate signed. E...
Lithograph