Rene Margitte Questions

Questions to answer about the reading:

1.    What is surrealism? 

   Ideas developed from strange dreams. They take unrelated objects and place them side by side, creating an image that looks both real and unreal.

2. What motif did Magritte use in many of his works? Why was this significant? 

  A man wearing a bowler hat.  People believe he referred to himself when he used the business man.

3.  In his work Golconda, why is it important that Magritte varied the image of the man in the bowler hat?  How does it add depth to the work? 
It's important that he varied the image because if he had just made it the same with no variations, people might have gotten bored with it, but the subtle differences make the audience look closer. 

   

4.     Why did surreal artists choose to create strange worlds with their art?

They believe that juxtaposing ordinary but unrelated objects could be as disorienting and powerful as waking up from a strange dream. They love this concept.

5.     Explain how the techniques of juxtaposition, altered scale, and language help Magritte explore Surrealism. 
He pulls viewers into his compositions with imagery but doesn't reveal all the answers. You become part of the work and your experience in seeing it changes the meaning of each painting.

6.     What would be a few reasons why Magritte would cover the faces of his subjects? 
-Insecurity
-His mother drowned and when they pulled her out of the water, her dress was wrapped around her head.

7.     Why did Magritte strive for realism & precision in his paintings?
He believed it allowed viewers to focus on the subject of the work instead of the techniques used to paint it.

8.     Google more of Magritte’s work and include 2 images that interest you.

o   Explain the technique(s) used to enhance the work

o   Hint – review the words in bold from the reading

He used juxtaposition because the colors and objects really contrast with each other. He also uses negative space and has a lot of variation.