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The Son of Man

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Rene Magritte (i)

Year : 1964
Media : Oil On Canvas (i)
Size : 116 x 89 cm

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The Son of Man (French: Le fils de l'homme) is a 1964 painting by the Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte. Magritte painted it as a self-portrait. The painting consists of a man in an overcoat and a bowler hat standing in front of a short wall, beyond which is the sea and a cloudy sky. The man's face is largely obscured by a hovering green apple. However, the man's eyes can be seen peeking over the edge of the apple. Another subtle feature is that the man's left arm appears to bend backwards at the elbow.
About the painting, Magritte said: At least it hides the face partly. Well, so you have the apparent face, the apple, hiding the visible but hidden, the face of the person. It's something that happens constantly. Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see. There is an interest in that which is hidden and which the visible does not show us. This interest can take the form of a quite intense feeling, a sort of conflict, one might say, between the visible that is hidden and the visible that is present.
The Son of Man resembles The Great War on Façades (La Grande Guerre Façades), another Magritte painting featuring similar imagery. Both feature a person standing in front of a wall overlooking the sea. The Great War on Façades, however, features a woman holding an umbrella, her face covered by a flower. There is also Man in the Bowler Hat, a similar painting where the man's face is obscured by a bird rather than an apple.
The Son of Man is a prominent motif in the 1999 art heist remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. In this film, a copy of the painting is prominently displayed in the home of the protagonist. The love interest takes note of it as "the stereotypical faceless businessman". The protagonist of the film uses numerous accomplices, all dressed like the subject of the painting, to confuse the police while he enters the museum to apparently return the painting he stole earlier in the film. The bowler-hatted men all carry identical briefcases full of copies of The Son of Man.
It is also referenced in the 2006 film Stranger Than Fiction, and in the 2009 indie film (500) Days of Summer by a bowler hat with a green apple on it in the female lead's apartment. In Gary Braunbeck's novel Keepers, the antagonist figures (the "Keepers" of the title) resemble the nattily-dressed, bowler-hatted figures of Magritte's painting. Also, in the opening scene of the book, the reference is directly made and explained to this resemblance because of an apple-scented car air freshener printed with the image of the painting hanging in the protagonist's car. In Araki Yasusada's 1994 novel The Dynamics of an Asteroid, the protagonist, Alice, is plagued by packages from an elusive character referred to as 'K', whose recurring motif is the distinctive apple from the painting.

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Rene Magritte

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Early Life and Artistic Beginnings

René François Ghislain Magritte, a renowned Belgian surrealist artist, was born on November 21, 1898, in Lessines, Hainaut province, Belgium. His early life remains somewhat mysterious, with little known about his formative years. However, it is documented that he began drawing lessons in 1910.

Artistic Evolution and Influences

Magritte's artistic style underwent significant transformations throughout his career. Initially, his work was characterized by an Impressionistic approach, as seen in his early paintings from around 1915. He then studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels (1916-1918), which led to a brief influence of Futurism and figurative Cubism.

Magritte's work was heavily influenced by his experiences, including his mother's suicide in 1912, which may have inspired his series of faceless portraits, such as Les Amants.
He married Georgette Berger in 1922 and served in the Belgian infantry from 1920 to 1921.
Magritte's first surrealist painting, The Lost Jockey (Le jockey perdu), marked a pivotal moment in his career, leading to his involvement with the surrealist group in Paris.

Surrealism and Notable Works

Magritte's version of Surrealism is characterized by its illusionistic and dream-like quality. Some of his most notable works include:

The Lovers, featuring a couple with their faces covered, inviting the viewer to reflect on love and identity.
Frans Snyders: The Pantry, a stunning still life painting showcasing the artist's mastery of light and shadow.
Eugène Simonis: Innocence, a beautiful marble sculpture depicting a young girl holding a dove, symbolizing peace and innocence.

Legacy and Later Life

Magritte's work was exhibited in the United States in 1936 and again in two retrospective exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art (1965) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1992). He remained committed to the political left, advocating for artistic autonomy. Magritte passed away on August 15, 1967. Discover more about Rene Magritte's work and other surrealist artists on WahooArt.com:

Early Life and Artistic Beginnings

René François Ghislain Magritte, a renowned Belgian surrealist artist, was born on November 21, 1898, in Lessines, province of Hainaut, Belgium. His early life remains somewhat mysterious, with little known about his childhood. However, it is documented that he began drawing lessons in 1910.

Artistic Evolution and Influences

Magritte's artistic style evolved significantly over the years, influenced by various movements such as Impressionism, Futurism, and Cubism. His earliest paintings, dating from around 1915, were Impressionistic in style. From 1916 to 1918, he studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, under Constant Montald.

Surrealist Period and Notable Works

In 1926, Magritte produced his first surrealist painting, The Lost Jockey (Le jockey perdu), marking the beginning of his association with the surrealist movement. His work is characterized by thought-provoking images, often depicting ordinary objects in unusual contexts, challenging observers' perceptions of reality.

Les Amants (1927-1928), a series of paintings featuring people with cloth obscuring their faces, is believed to have been inspired by the story of his mother's death.
The Lovers, another iconic piece, features a couple kissing with their faces covered by white cloths, inviting the viewer to reflect on love and identity. (Available for purchase as a handmade oil painting reproduction or print on canvas at WahooArt.com)

Later Life and Legacy

Magritte's work was exhibited in the United States in 1936 and again in two retrospective exhibitions, one at the Museum of Modern Art in 1965 and the other at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1992. He remained committed to the political left but advocated for artistic autonomy. Notable Museums featuring Magritte's Work:

Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium (Discover the Masterpieces of Musées Royaux Des Beaux-Aarts de Belgique at WahooArt.com)
Magritte Museum, part of the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, showcasing the world's largest collection of Magritte's works.

Conclusion

René Magritte's legacy as a surrealist master endures, with his thought-provoking images continuing to inspire and intrigue. His work, characterized by its unique blend of the ordinary and the unexpected, remains a cornerstone of surrealist art. More on René Magritte

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“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul and paints his own nature into his pictures.”

Henry Ward Beecher

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The Son of Man (French: Le fils de l'homme) is a 1964 painting by the Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte. Magritte painted it as a self-portrait. The painting consists of a man in an overcoat and a bowler hat standing in front of a short wall, beyond which is the sea and a cloudy sky. The man's face is largely obscured by a hovering green apple. However, the man's eyes can be seen peeking over the edge of the apple. Another subtle feature is that the man's left arm appears to bend backwards at the elbow.[/br] About the painting, Magritte said: At least it hides the face partly. Well, so you have the apparent face, the apple, hiding the visible but hidden, the face of the person. It's something that happens constantly. Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see. There is an interest in that which is hidden and which the visible does not show us. This interest can take the form of a quite intense feeling, a sort of conflict, one might say, between the visible that is hidden and the visible that is present. [/br] The Son of Man resembles The Great War on Façades (La Grande Guerre Façades), another Magritte painting featuring similar imagery. Both feature a person standing in front of a wall overlooking the sea. The Great War on Façades, however, features a woman holding an umbrella, her face covered by a flower. There is also Man in the Bowler Hat, a similar painting where the man's face is obscured by a bird rather than an apple.[/br] The Son of Man is a prominent motif in the 1999 art heist remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. In this film, a copy of the painting is prominently displayed in the home of the protagonist. The love interest takes note of it as 'the stereotypical faceless businessman'. The protagonist of the film uses numerous accomplices, all dressed like the subject of the painting, to confuse the police while he enters the museum to apparently return the painting he stole earlier in the film. The bowler-hatted men all carry identical briefcases full of copies of The Son of Man.[/br] It is also referenced in the 2006 film Stranger Than Fiction, and in the 2009 indie film (500) Days of Summer by a bowler hat with a green apple on it in the female lead's apartment. In Gary Braunbeck's novel Keepers, the antagonist figures (the 'Keepers' of the title) resemble the nattily-dressed, bowler-hatted figures of Magritte's painting. Also, in the opening scene of the book, the reference is directly made and explained to this resemblance because of an apple-scented car air freshener printed with the image of the painting hanging in the protagonist's car. In Araki Yasusada's 1994 novel The Dynamics of an Asteroid, the protagonist, Alice, is plagued by packages from an elusive character referred to as 'K', whose recurring motif is the distinctive apple from the painting.

Rene Magritte

Oil On Canvas