Les Amants

What keeps you up at night is a blog about life that includes poems, stories, reflections of all things that keep a person awake at night wondering. I often wonder what is the creative force behind the paintings and the words on the page. Why is the artist creating art?  What is the inspiration behind the conflict between two characters in a novel? This post is an attempt, respectfully, to examine and ponder about a specific series of paintings by Rene Magritte. 

Surrealist painter Rene Magritte was born in Belgium on November 21, 1898. He studied at the Academie des Beaux-Arts in Brussels from 1916-1918. Magritte's early work varied in style, ranging from Impressionism to Cubism. He earned a living in his early days working in a factory manufacturing wallpaper and creating advertisements for local businesses. It was when he moved to Paris in 1927 his career began. He had his first exhibition and became a fixture in the Surrealist movement. Magritte would become successful, with exhibitions held all over the world. He would also publish many articles about his concept of art and the possibilities within the realm of the paintbrush. Magritte died in Brussels on August 15, 1967.

While Magritte acheived fame for a number of his paintings, the series of paintings which fascinate me are The Lovers, or Les Amants. Magritte painted these in the summer of 1928. Each painting depicts a couple, the title implies they are in love, only the couple has their faces obscured by white sheets. The paintings present to the observer a moment in time. In the moment the lovers appear to be tender and passionate, posing either cheek to cheek, embracing in a kiss or standing closely at each other's side. It is rumored to believe the paintings were inspired by the suicide of Magritte's mother, Regina Bertinchamp. In 1912, when Magritte was only 14 years old his mother suceeded in an act she attempted numerous times before. Bertinchamp was unhappy and depressed throughout his childhood. One night she left the house and drowned herself in the Sambre river. The Magrittes searched for her, following her footprints to the river, where her body was discovered with her nightgown wrapped around her face. The theory behind the paintings being influenced by Bertinchamp's death, consciously or subconsciously, is merely speculation. Magritte denied any correlation between his mother's suicide and the shrouded faces in the paintings. Magritte did admit he enjoyed the attention and being referred to as the "son of a dead woman."

What does that mean? A question Magritte was probably asked many times.

"My painting is visible images which conceal nothing. . . They evoke mystery and indeed when one sees one of my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question 'What does that mean?' It does not mean anything, because mystery means nothing either, it is unknowable."

Is that the honest truth or is Magritte's answer also shrouded in a sheet? Was this response simply a way to avoid revealing the truth behind his work? What do you feel about The Lovers? What do you see in the paintings? What comes to mind when you look at these images? We view and acknowledge a level of intimacy but also a separation. The image combined with the title evokes the notion of passion while being divided. When we fall in love are we forthcoming and honest with ones we share our beds with? I do not think we ever truly know the people we fall in love with. The white sheet could be a metaphor for the lovers being guarded against each other. It may be the defense mechanism that allows us frail humans an illusion of safety. It presumes that we can not be harmed if we never give ourselves away completely. Do you feel comfortable sharing all your thoughts with your lover? Do you believe that you know everything about your lover? I Think majority of people would confess they don't feel comfortable and doubtful they are privy to all information. There is an apprehension that occurs with being honest with a lover since it constructs vulnerability. I feel in many ways we are all walking holding hands with our veils over our faces, concealing our feelings and secrets.

Could the death of Magritte's mother, the sight of her dead body play a larger role in the creation of The Lovers than he alludes? Is the white sheet a representation of death? Or are these the portraits of lost love? They may be the equivalent of the photos of past lovers we shelve, or stow away in shoe boxes. Hiding their faces so we do not have to be reminded of those we used to fall asleep to like old songs. Magritte manipulated perception, encouraging the betrayal of images. The Lovers may no longer be in love and that is why they are covered like corpses. Love has died and has been enveloped in a white sheet to spare us the indignity and the heartache. The sight alone could be too much to bear. I want to know what kept Rene Magritte up at night? Was he troubled by the fragility of the human heart? Or does he just want to entertain the thoughful and heartsick? Magritte paints a mystery by obscuring the identity and the facial expressions of the lovers. We concentrate on the embrace, we consider the brevity of the relationship, but still there is some secret. The secret is subjective depending on the viewer's perception. Do we all wear masks? What do you think is the reason Magritte's lovers are masked? I think, love itself, is dying to know.