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Lot Essay
In a letter to Harry Torczyner of 3 October 1963, Magritte explained the imagery of the work as it related to the title: "Beautiful Realities is in keeping with this idea that the well-known 'sense of reality' does not have to be understood according to the stubborn prejudice that 'reality' is always ugly, exhausting, etc." (R. Magritte, Magritte/Torczyner: Letters Between Friends, New York, 1994, p. 90).
Here, Magritte creates an image of beauty and order. A familiar situation is inverted, with the table balanced carefully atop the apple, one of the artist's most recognizable elements. The objects appear as if floating against the resonant, pink background, and perhaps allude to a redemption from evil and ugliness.
Magritte also produced oil and crayon versions of this image, similarly titled, in 1962 (Sylvester, no. 945, private collection; and ex-coll. Harry Torczyner; sale, Christie's New York, 19 November 1998, lot 528).
Here, Magritte creates an image of beauty and order. A familiar situation is inverted, with the table balanced carefully atop the apple, one of the artist's most recognizable elements. The objects appear as if floating against the resonant, pink background, and perhaps allude to a redemption from evil and ugliness.
Magritte also produced oil and crayon versions of this image, similarly titled, in 1962 (Sylvester, no. 945, private collection; and ex-coll. Harry Torczyner; sale, Christie's New York, 19 November 1998, lot 528).