A n apple, a horse, a mountain landscape — or something altogether stranger? In Morceaux Choisis (1950), René Magritte brings together some of the most recognisable motifs of Surrealist art, only to make them feel wonderfully unfamiliar again. A familiar object becomes a monument, a leaf seems to transform into a horse, and a serene landscape begins to defy logic. The longer you look, the less certain you become of what you’re seeing.
Painted at a pivotal moment in Magritte’s career, Morceaux Choisis is both a return to the images that shaped his artistic imagination and a playful reinvention of them. From the apple’s centuries-old symbolism to the unexpected silhouette that recalls Ferrari’s famous Cavallino, every detail opens another door into the artist’s world. More than half a century later, Magritte’s visual language feels as striking and elusive as ever.
This evocative masterpiece is a highlight of the Surrealism and its Legacy auction taking place at Sotheby's Paris on 23 October, presented by CELINE.
