La Belle hérétique 1964

René Magritte made this painting, La Belle Hérétique, with oil on canvas using thin layers, so precise, it feels like he’s building a world rather than just depicting one. It's a process of revelation. Look at the way he renders wood grain, almost as if it’s the landscape itself! The surface is so smooth, so controlled, it gives the work this incredible stillness. I’m drawn to the handles on this strange, boxy chair-like object. They suggest travel, but also containment. Is this chair a vessel? A modernist ark? This precision reminds me of de Chirico, but with a surrealist twist. Ultimately, this work asks more questions than it answers, and that’s what keeps it alive. It embraces the enigma, inviting us to create our own meanings.