The Empire of Light II, 1950

Rene Magritte (1898-1967) was a Belgian Surrealist known for his illusionistic works which challenge perceptions of reality. Clever, witty and playful, his paintings focus on ordinary objects in an unusual context, bringing new meaning to familiar things. Magritte once pointed out that no matter how naturalistically an object is depicted it will only ever be an image of an object and not the object itself. His intriguing style is instantly recognisable - the mysterious men in bowler hats are forever associated with his name.