Writing about Magritte's art, Jacques Meuris poses a question: "The key word is mystery. But is he trying to 'give us to see' mystery? Or is he arranging things in such a way that they represent or organize mystery" (6). The title of this enigmatic work informs the mystery contained within. Addressing what he terms the 'problem' of the violin, Magritte began by sketching the instrument, eventually arriving at this orderly representation. The collar does give a somewhat rackish air to the classical instrument, and 'gives us to see' deeper into the object. This effect is, of course, always Magritte's aim.

Created after the 1960 original oil on canvas Un peu de l'âme des bandits (Something of the Bandit Spirit) by René Magritte (1898-1967), this original color lithograph is facsimile signed 'Magritte' in graphite color in the lower right margin, and also initialed in pencil by Charley Herscovici, President of the Fondation Magritte and of the ADAGP. It bears the ADAGP blindstamp in the lower left margin and the Magritte Succession blindstamp in the lower right margin. Numbered from the edition of 275, it is printed on Rives paper and published and printed by Philippe Moreno, Paris, 2010.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
This work is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoice that will accompany the final sale of the work).

1. Meuris, Jacques. Magritte. London: Greenwich Editions, 1988. The original oil painting is listed and discussed as no. 7 on p. 7.

2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:
Framed to museum-grade conservation standards, this work is presented in a modern moulding with silk-wrapped mats and optical-grade Plexiglas.