Print Page
Email to FriendSigned Rene Magritte, Lithograph, La folie des grandeurs II ( Megalomania)  |
Place your cursor over the thumbnails below to view the full-size image:
Click each room to better visualize its scale and beauty in different contexts.:
| Artist: | Magritte, Rene (1898 - 1967) |
|---|---|
| Title: | La folie des grandeurs II ( Megalomania) |
| Medium: | Original Color Lithograph |
| Image Size: | 23 7/16 in x 19 5/8 in (59.6 cm x 49.8 cm) |
| Sheet Size: | 30 5/8 in x 22 7/8 in (77.8 cm x 58.1 cm) |
| Framed Size: | 40 1/4 in x 36 1/8 in (102.2 cm x 92 cm) |
| Signed: | Signed 'Magritte' in facsimile in graphite color in the lower right margin. Signed in pencil in the lower left margin by the representative of ADAGP representing the Magritte Succession, Mr. Charly Herscovici. |
| Edition: | Numbered from the edition of 300 in pencil in the lower left margin (from the total edition of 360, 300 examples numbered 1-300, 45 artist's proofs numbered 1-45, and 15 copies reserved for the Succession Magritte); published and printed by Philippe Moreno Paris in 2003. |
| Condition: | This work is in excellent condition with vibrant colors throughout |
|
Gallery Price
|
Item# 2868
|
| Questions? | |
|
One of a number of works entitled Megalomania that Magritte produced in the 1940-60s depicting three hollow parts of a woman's body stacked into each other like a set of Russian dolls, this work appears as a giant puzzle, constantly shifting. One of Magritte's favorite subjects was the female torso, and he here addresses this subject in an unusual manner, breaking the female body into disjointed segments. |
|
|
Read more about our pricing |
|
|
Gallery Price: This is a common gallery retail price Read more about our pricing |
|
|
Request Invitation: We have openings for a few new members each day. Members receive exclusive offers on our entire inventory. |
|
| Historical Description: | |
| This piece is one of a number of works entitled La folie des grandeurs (Megalomania)
that Magritte produced in the 1940s - 1960s, depicting three hollow parts of
a woman's body stacked into each other like a set of Russian dolls. In this
work, the stacked body parts, though distorted in size, highly resemble the
color and feel of flesh. The parts are located next to a burning candle that
rests on a windowsill. In the background, a cloud-dotted sky hovers above a
glistening blue sea. The sky, like the body, is distorted and appears to be
composed of blocks that shift and stack upon each other, much like a puzzle.
This work, along with others in the series, inspired a bronze sculpture also
entitled La folie des grandeurs created in 1967.
Created after the 1948 original oil on canvas La folie des grandeurs II (Megalomania) by René Magritte (1898-1967), this original color lithograph was published and printed by Philippe Moreno, Paris in 2003. This work is signed 'Magritte' in facsimile in graphite color in the lower right margin and signed in pencil in the lower left margin by the representative of ADAGP representing the Magritte Succession, Mr. Charly Herscovici. Numbered 284/300 in pencil in the lower left margin (from the total edition of 360, 300 examples numbered 1-300, 45 artist's proofs numbered 1-45, and 15 copies reserved for the Succession Magritte), this work is stamped with the ADAGP blindstamp in the lower left margin and the Succession Magritte blindstamp in the lower right margin. On the back of this work is an extensive block of printed text stating the title, provenance, tirage, and details of the original oil on canvas. Catalogue Raisonné & COA: 1. Whitfield, Sarah. Magritte. London: The South Bank Center, 1992. An original oil painting from the same series La folie des grandeurs illustrated and discussed as no. 166. 2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work. About the Framing: | |
| Style: | Surrealism |
About Us: Masterworks Fine Art strives to be the best source of fine art for our clients and collectors all over the world. We believe the most direct way to accomplish this is by establishing a lifetime of personal and professional relationships with our clients. More About Us »
Do you own a similar Magritte to sell? We offer free evaluations.
Biography of Rene Magritte
René Magritte was a Belgian surrealist artist whose witty and thought-provoking images challenged observers’ preconditioned perceptions of reality. Magritte's work frequently displays a juxtaposition of ordinary objects in an unusual context, giving new meanings to familiar things.
Magritte grew up in a simple and somewhat tragic household. His father was a modest tailor. His mother, who was mentally unsound, committed suicide in the year 1912. Magritte started drawing at a young age, and his first paintings, produced c. 1915, were Impressionistic in style.
Magritte first worked as a draughtsman in a wallpaper factory and, in the year 1922, fell in love with and married Georgette Berger. In 1926, Magritte signed a contract with Galerie La Centaure in Brussels, making it possible for him to paint full-time. During this time, inspired by his friend André Breton, he became involved with the Surrealist group.
During the German occupation of Belgium in World War II, he stayed in Brussels. He continued to paint, gaining increased recognition. His work was exhibited in the United States in New York multiple times, including 2 retrospective exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 1967, Magritte died of pancreatic cancer, his imagery having greatly influenced pop, minimalist, and conceptual art.
