René Magritte, La magie noir (Black Magic)

Artist: René Magritte (1898 - 1967)
Title:La magie noir (Black Magic)
Medium:Color Lithograph
Image Size:20 1/8 in x 15 in ( 51.1 cm x 38.1 cm)
Sheet Size:23 11/16 in x 17 3/4 in (60.2 cm x 45.1 cm)
Framed Size:approx. 33 1/2 in x 28 in (85.1 cm x 71.1 cm)
Edition:Numbered from the edition of 275 in pencil in the lower left margin.
Signature:This work is signed ‘Magritte’ in fascimile 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 Hersovici
Condition:This work is in excellent condition.
ID #w-4297
$6,000 $4,000

Historical Description

René Magritte La magie noir (Black Magic) is a captivating work in which a woman stands against a block of stone. The woman is no ordinary woman however as she is Magritte's model, muse, and wife, Georgette Berger. In this work, Georgette's upper body appears to be celestial, while her lower body remains earthly.

One interpretation of her split form is that as humans we often have our heads elsewhere while our bodies remain firmly rooted in reality. With her hand resting upon the stone, "one idea is that the stone is associated with an attachment to the earth" (Meuris, p. 76 1994). Perhaps the connectivity her body feels to the stone is what keeps her grounded, but with the gorgeous sprawling blue skyline against the calm sea in the background, her body must want to enjoy its perceived surroundings. This can be seen in the tilt of her body away from the stone, with her head looking out onto the side, as if there's a longing to be far from reality.

Created after the original 1935 oil on canvas La magie noir (Black Magic), this color lithograph is was published and printed by Philippe Moreno, Paris in 2011. This work is signed ‘Magritte’ in fascimile 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 Hersovici. Numbered from the edition of 275 in pencil in the lower left margin.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

This René Magritte La magie noir (Black Magic) original color lithograph is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the final sale of the work).

1. Gimferrer, Pere. Magritte. Barcelona: Ediciones Poligrafa, S.A, 1986. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 31.
2. Meuris, Jacques. Magritte. London: Greenwich Editions, 1988. A variation of the work is illustrated on pg. 77 and discussed on pg. 76.
3. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:

René Magritte La magie noir (Black Magic) is framed to museum-grade conservation standards, this work is presented in a modern moulding with silk-wrapped mats and optical-grade Plexiglas.

Subject Matter: Femme