Magritte's Celebrated Artistic Masterpiece Set for Paris Auction
An notable artwork from the famed surrealist artist Magritte which has stayed within one private collection for over 90 years is scheduled to go auctioned this October.
The Intriguing Background Behind this Artwork
La Magie Noire was first purchased by the relatives of Spaak, a World War II resistance heroine that served as Magritte's benefactor at an period when he was struggling economically and failed to sell any work for two years.
She was shot at the hands of Nazi forces in the French capital due to her actions in helping Jewish children find safety.
Sale Estimates with Expectations
The fine art firm has estimated that La Magie Noire may fetch in the range of €5m to €7m, but experts expect that it will reach a greater price.
“It is the initial instance I have handled a major Magritte work which has stayed with one family from its creation,” stated an high-ranking art market executive. This is extraordinary, just like the story of the family.”
The official also described this work by saying the superstar in surrealist art,” noting how Were you to ask a group of students to prepare a presentation on the surrealist movement, this artwork alone would be enough to explain the movement.”
The Artist's Formative Struggles with Professional Development
This Belgian-born artist first was employed as a designer at a wallpaper plant and produced commercial ads before the mid-1920s, at which point he produced his debut surrealist piece.
The following year, he held his debut show in the Belgian capital, however the critics were harsh so a dismayed Magritte relocated to Paris, where he failed to establish his mark.
He returned to Belgium in 1930 where he formed a commercial art business with his brother Paul.
“Life for Magritte was very difficult during that period. The economic crisis that started in 1929 in America hit the French economy in the early 1930s. For two years, from 1930 and 1932, he sold nothing and held no exhibitions,” the specialist stated.
“Nobody purchased artworks by surrealists. They were considered radical agitators.”
This Influence of his Patrons
Spaak’s husband, Claude, a celebrated Belgian-born playwright, was acquainted with Magritte acting as a patron, ordering paintings of Suzanne and children while also arranging regular financial support for Magritte and his family.
By 1934, the sibling Alice, known as Bunny, acquired the painting to celebrate the birth of her newborn alongside Emile, a Belgian industrialist.
This family was to Belgium like the Mountbattens were for Britain; like royalty and they helped the artist out of difficulty,” the art specialist commented. “It was bought to mark the arrival of a child but it was a revival for Magritte who was trying to recover financially.”
Painting Features with Symbolism
The subject in this series had been his spouse, Georgette, who is portrayed in a classical manner like a sculpted figure placing her hand on a block of stone.
Her torso gradually blends with the sky in the background while her lower half retains its natural tone.
The artist later created ten comparable works, many of them were given different names. In this work, the initial of the series, Berger appears with a bird perched on her shoulder.
One-third of the backdrop shows a partially paneled wall inside.
Suzanne Spaak’s Heroic Underground Work
Suzanne and Claude Spaak were living in the French capital at the outbreak of war in the late 1930s.
Following the Nazi occupation of Paris, Suzanne joined the underground and served as a member in the intelligence network intelligence unit.
She used her considerable fortune to rescue 163 Jewish children from being deported, sheltering a number of them in her residence until they were relocated to secure locations.
Tragic End with Legacy
In October 1943, German forces arrested Spaak together with 600 members of the network.
On August 12, 1944, days before the freeing of the city, Nazi agents killed her in her prison cell. She was 38 years old and has since been honoured by the state of Israel as one of the Righteous for her actions in saving Jewish people.
Magritte passed away from cancer in August 1967 and rests in Brussels.
Exhibition with Sale Timeline
The painting, which has been displayed at the Magritte museum in Belgium, has seldom been exhibited outside Belgium over nine decades.
La Magie Noire will be exhibited in Paris from 17 and 23 October before its sale on October 24.