The Empire of Light, II 1950

René Magritte painted *The Empire of Light, II* using oil on canvas, and it’s a head-scratcher, right? The smooth finish, those careful gradations of light—they almost try to hide the fact that it’s paint on canvas. Up top, you’ve got this bright, cloud-filled sky, like it’s mid-afternoon, all sunny and breezy. But then your eyes drop down, and bam! It’s nighttime. The houses are dark, and that single lamppost is casting a warm, lonely glow. That little pool of light, it’s like a tiny stage, making you wonder what kind of drama is about to unfold. Magritte loved messing with your mind. He’s playing with these opposites, day and night, light and dark, making you question what you think you know. It’s a puzzle, but one where there’s no right answer, just a feeling that maybe the world isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Like a dream, where anything can happen. Think of Giorgio de Chirico, who also played with strange contrasts and a similar sense of disquiet.