René Magritte's paintings are best described as "Surrealistic, with an ouvre of clever whimsy." Yet little is known of his early years when he experimented with other styles and materials.
At one time, he was fascinated with fabrics and textiles. He explored their lush and colorful textures, so it was natural that Magritte would combine weaving with painting.
One afternoon while Magritte was weaving a landscape, he heard a horse-and-buggy collide with a bicyclist. The injured cyclist screamed with anguish – it was a horrific mess!
Magritte rushed to the site where he began to weave a picture of the gruesome turmoil. He finished and quietly packed up his materials and left. However, an alert policeman observed Magritte's movements and blocked his departure. Magritte, handcuffed and embarrassed, was hustled off to the precinct where he was booked and charged – and thus earned the distinction as the only artist ever arrested for weaving the scene of an accident.
Comments