© Great Works of Western Art
1898 René Magritte is born at Lessines, Hainault, Belgium.
1912 René’s mother commits suicide, drowning herself in the river Sambre. The young Magritte is present when his mother’s body is recovered.
1916 Enters the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.
1919 Magritte’s first posters are exhibited. He later takes on advertising work.
1922 Magritte marries Georgette Berger. Sees a reproduction of de Chirico’s Song of Love – a seminal influence on his art.
1926 Magritte is a founder member of the Belgian Surrealist group. He is able to devote himself to painting as a result of an agreement with two Brussels galleries.
1927 Magritte’s first one man show is mounted at Le Centaure in Brussels. Moves to live in Paris.
1929 Stays with Salvador Dalí in Cadaquès.
1930 Returns to Brussels.
1931 The need for income leads to the establishment of Studio Dongo with his brother Paul. The business provides services for advertising and publicity firms.
1933 The Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels mounts a one man show of Magritte’s work.
1937 Magritte takes part in a group show at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels with Man Ray and Yves Tanguy. Completes multiple works for the British collector Edward James.
1948 First one-man show in Paris at Galerie du Faubourg. Produces drawings for an illustrated edition of Les Chants de Maldoror by the Comte de Lautréamont. Reaches agreement to produce work for the New York dealer Alexandre Iolas.
1956 Produces his first brief Surrealist film.
1965 The Museum of Modern Art in New York put on a retrospective of Magritte’s work. He travels to New York. Also travels to Rome.
1967 Produces a series of wax sculptures based on his paintings. Dies at Schaerbeek, Brussels.
1927 The Menaced Assassin, New York, MOMA
1927 The Meaning of Night, Houston, Menil Collection
1928 The Lovers , New York, MOMA
1928 Man with Newspaper, London, Tate
1928 The Reckless Sleeper, London, Tate
1928 The False Mirror, New York, MOMA
1928–9 The Treachery of Images, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
1930 On the Threshold of Liberty, Rotterdam, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen
1933 The Human Condition, Washington DC, National Gallery of Art
1934 Steps of Summer, Paris, Musée National d’Art Moderne - Centre Georges Pompidou
1936 The Key to the Fields, Madrid, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
1937 Not to be Reproduced, Rotterdam, Museum Boymans van Beuningen
1938 Time Transfixed, Chicago, Art Institute
1945 The Rape, Paris, Musée National d’Art Moderne - Centre Georges Pompidou
1948 The Flavour of Tears, Birmingham, Barber Institute of Fine Arts
1951 Perspective: David’s Madame Recamier, Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada
1953 Golconda, Houston, Menil Collection
1955 Empire of Light, New York, MOMA
1955 The Promenades of Euclid, Minneapolis Institute of Art
1958 The Listening Room, Zurich, Kunsthaus
