The dawn of Cayenne 1926

René Magritte made "The dawn of Cayenne" with oil on canvas. The muted browns and blues make the red in the wool really stand out. The painting gives me the feeling of being trapped in thought. I can imagine Magritte thinking, "How can I show a mind at work?" The hands, like the mind, are active and full of potential. I can see him trying to work through an idea, erasing it, revising it, and working some more. I’m struck by the way the bare branches are arranged. Magritte is almost saying, these fragments can be joined together, or kept separate - that’s up to you! Artists are always in dialogue, responding to and expanding upon ideas. The surrealists were in conversation with symbolism, and now artists like me are in conversation with them! Ultimately, painting is about embracing doubt and uncertainty. What do you make of it?