André Breton Describes Magritte's Painting; Signed, Handwritten Manuscript.

Signed autograph manuscript by André Breton (1896–1966) on the paintings of René Magritte (1898–1967). Circa 1964.

An iconic quote from the “Pope of Surrealism” on the work of the Belgian surrealist painter, originally written by André Breton in 1941 in his seminal essay “Genesis and Prospects of Surrealism.” ”

Size: 18.5 x 13.5 cm unfolded / 9.2 x 13.5 cm folded. Dimensions of the magnetic Plexiglas display frame (included): 21 x 15 cm

Slight ink transfer onto the paper and pencil annotation (Surr – and Painting).

In the early 1960s, Breton compiled, selected, and rewrote his major theoretical texts on art to prepare the definitive edition of his work “Surrealism and Painting” (revised and expanded, published by Gallimard in 1965; New Revised and Corrected Edition, 1928–1965). To compile this new edition, he reintegrated his earlier writings, notably that famous passage on Magritte, thereby establishing this analysis of Magritte as the movement’s official position.

This famous phrase about “lessons in things” was also cited by Patrick Waldberg in his seminal work “René Magritte”, published in Brussels by Éditions André de Rache in 1965.

André Breton’s aphorisms and theoretical reflections on the central figures of the Surrealist movement are particularly sought after.

Beautiful, meticulously written signature.

“Magritte approached painting in the spirit of ‘object lessons.’ From this angle, he put the visual image on systematic trial, taking pleasure in highlighting its shortcomings and emphasizing its dependence on figures of speech and thought.” — André Breton (1941)

For illustrative purposes (not included): photomatons of René Magritte then André Breton (Paris, 1929) and The Son of Man painted by René Magritte in 1964.