Perpetual motion 1935

René Magritte made this oil on canvas painting called "Perpetual Motion," and I'm instantly drawn to the odd, dreamlike quality. Magritte was a master of the unexpected, and here, the smooth, almost airbrushed finish gives the scene an eerie clarity. Look at the figure. The colors are muted, but the surface is incredibly smooth. It's hard to tell what kind of brushes were used. The real kicker is the head. That gray sphere, blank and impersonal, supporting the weight of what I can only assume is the earth itself, is just so weird! The landscape is equally bizarre, with its reflection pool showing blocks and a barrel. It reminds me a little of de Chirico, but with a very different feel. Ultimately, Magritte embraces the ambiguous. Is it profound? Is it absurd? It's probably both, all at once.