APRÈS LE BAL 1926

René Magritte made “Après le Bal” at an unknown date, using oil on canvas. The first thing that strikes me is the way Magritte sets up these flat, theatrical spaces. Everything feels staged, like a dream you can't quite grasp. Look at the curtain—the way it cascades down, almost like liquid gold, clashing beautifully with the muted, geometric floor. It's as if the artist is inviting us behind the scenes of his own mental theatre. That nude figure, reclining so calmly, adds to the mystery. Is she resting, dreaming, or simply waiting? The floor with the geometric lines feels like a stage set, the hard lines set up a tension with the soft figure. It all feels very deliberate, Magritte is always playing with us, teasing our expectations. It reminds me of de Chirico, another master of unsettling dreamscapes, but Magritte has this playful irony that's all his own. It's like he's saying, "Art is a game, but a game that can reveal profound truths."