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The Son of Man: Magritte’s Famous Contribution to Surrealism

The Son of Man: Magritte’s Famous Contribution to Surrealism

The Son of Man is a 1964 surrealist self-portrait by Belgian artist René Magritte. As one of the most recognizable paintings of the surrealist movement, the painting is both simplistic and ambiguous, with the meaning left to the interpretation of the viewer. Singulart will be exploring the theories behind the meaning of The Son of Man, Magritte’s history with surrealism, and his impact on popular culture.
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Magritte and Surrealism 

Despite starting with impressionism, Magritte thrived in surrealism, crafting witty, thought-provoking pieces. While employed at a wallpaper factory, he ventured into surrealism, creating “The Lost Jockey.” This painting features a jockey in a stage-like landscape. In 1927, he held his debut solo exhibition, met with harsh criticism, leaving him disheartened.

René Magritte, The Lovers, 1928
René Magritte, The Lovers, 1928

Influenced by critics, he relocated to Paris, where he encountered surrealists like Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, and Max Ernst. Despite completing notable works like The Lovers and the Treachery of Images, he failed to leave a lasting impression. Returning to Brussels in 1930, he entered his Renoir period during WWII. Here, he embraced vibrant colors as a counter to war’s chaos. In a letter, he elaborated:

“The sense of chaos, of panic, which Surrealism hoped to foster so that everything might be called into question was achieved much more successfully by those idiots the Nazis… Against widespread pessimism, I now propose a search for joy and pleasure.”

As the war neared its end, Magritte shifted from impressionism to his “vache period.” Unlike his previous work, these pieces were angular and dark, drawing inspiration from Fauve art. Dubbed the “vache period,” it reflected crudeness, a departure from his prior colorful style. As anticipated, these works faced poor reception.

FUN FACT: René Magritte had a stint in the advertising industry. Before gaining fame as a surrealist painter, Magritte worked as a commercial artist, creating advertisements and designing posters.

In 1948, Magritte reverted to the surrealism style he had explored before WWII. It was during this period he experienced his greatest critical and commercial successes, with a number of retrospectives being dedicated to his work.

The Son of Man: What is it and what does it mean?

René Magritte, Son of Man, 1964; oil on canvas. © CHARLY HERSCOVICI, BRUSSELS / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK
René Magritte, Son of Man, 1964; oil on canvas. © CHARLY HERSCOVICI, BRUSSELS / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK

Tasked with a self-portrait in 1963, Magritte embarked on The Son of Man. Traditional self-portraiture proved challenging, prompting a turn to surrealism.

In The Son of Man, a man stands against a seaside backdrop. Despite cloudy skies, hints of sunlight illuminate. Clad in a bowler hat and overcoat, the man, a nod to Magritte’s political affiliations, seems juxtaposed in a casual setting. Notably, his left elbow is reversed, a subtle anomaly.

Nonetheless, the most surreal element is the green apple, partially veiling the man’s face. It defies gravity, sparking interpretations. Magritte’s interview sheds light:

“Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see, but it is impossible. Humans hide their secrets too well… 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 painting’s title possibly alludes to Christianity, with the apple symbolizing temptation and the fall of man. In the modern context, it reflects anonymity and conformity, with the apple masking the man’s identity. The Son of Man’s enduring allure lies in its myriad interpretations, fulfilling Magritte’s intent.

Artwork Spotlight: Le Masque Vide

Le Masque Vide

René Magritte’s “Le Masque Vide” features four labeled sections: With regards to the major subjects of B&W paintings, ciel (sky) is common in paintings as well as corps humain (ou forêt) (human body (or forest)), Rideau (curtain), and façade de Maison (house facade). This piece is again a surrealist hallmark of his toughness as he tries to blur perceptions in a linguistic sense using everyday language.

The Son of Man, Magritte, and Pop Culture

The Son of Man is one of surrealism’s most recognizable artworks, which could be due to its many appearances in popular culture, parodied by everyone from Norman Rockwell to The Simpsons.

In 1970, Rockwell used Magritte’s apple technique in his painting Mr. Apple, but the subject’s head is replaced, rather than obscured, by a giant red apple. Magritte’s apple motif also inspired Paul McCartney to name his label Apple Records, which subsequently inspired Steve Jobs to name his company Apple Computers. 

 Norman Rockwell,  Mr. Apple, 1970
Norman Rockwell, Mr. Apple, 1970

The painting itself was featured heavily in the 1999 crime film The Thomas Crown Affair, particularly in the last scene when numerous men dressed in bowler hats and overcoats infiltrate the museum to confuse the security team and distract them from Thomas Crown’s actions. 

Homages to The Son of Man can also be seen in The Simpsons, (500) Days of Summer, Bronson, and Stranger Than Fiction