The break in the clouds (The calm) 1941

René Magritte made this dreamy painting with oil on canvas. It seems like he has painted the painting in a cloud, with this misty sky and sea behind the figures. I can imagine Magritte in his studio, carefully mixing his colors to get just the right hazy effect. You know, that kind of pale blue that reminds you of a faded memory. The texture is so smooth, almost like velvet. And the three figures are not really in the world, more like thoughts or musings. I love how each one holds something different—a dove, an egg, a flower. Maybe he’s saying something about hope, potential, and beauty, all at once? I can see these themes in the paintings of De Chirico. It makes me think about how we painters keep talking to each other, across time, across countries. We see something in each other's work, and it sparks something new in us. Painting is not about finding answers, but asking questions.