Beautiful reproductions and extensive documentation of 130 previously
unpublished and newly attributed works of René Magritte
René Magritte (1898-1967) was a Surrealist artist whose thought-provoking works
used ordinary objects to challenge how viewers perceived reality. His extensive
oeuvre was documented in a comprehensive five-volume project, led by
distinguished art critic and writer David Sylvester. In the years that followed
the publication of the final volume in 1997, numerous works purporting to be by
Magritte appeared on the art market. Under the auspices of the Fondation Magritte,
a committee was established to verify the authenticity of newly discovered works as
well as those previously recorded as "whereabouts unknown" or listed as appendix
items in the original volumes of the René Magritte Catalogue Raisonné.
Designed as an art book, René Magritte: Newly Discovered Works includes color
illustrations of 130 previously unpublished or unknown works authenticated
by the Comité Magritte between September 2000 and March 2010. Like
its predecessors, this volume is the culmination of years of research, which
synthesizes new discoveries about the artworks and details of the life of Magritte
himself. Accompanying text and comparative documentation provide a wealth of
complementary information, including the circumstances of a work's discovery,
references to letters, quotations in their original languages, and citations from
previous volumes.
Sarah Whitfield is an independent art historian, writer, and curator.
