Belgian surrealist René Magritte is renowned for his hyper-realistic paintings that challenge perceptions of reality by blending the mundane with the surreal. Trained at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, he later worked with Surrealist leader André Breton in Paris, helping define the movement's imagery and philosophy. Magritte’s technical skill and use of optical illusion have made his works highly coveted in major collections like Tate Modern and MoMA. His art, including works that have sold for millions, remains a strong investment.
The present lithograph is part of Les Enfants Trouvés, a portfolio of 12 colorful prints created posthumously by Fernand Mourlot. The suite highlights Magritte’s surrealist style, with accompanying text by his close friend, writer Louis Scutenaire. The title La Traversée Difficile (The Difficult Crossing) recurs in Magritte’s work, symbolizing the key visual motifs he explored. In this piece, floating eyeballs gaze upon a stormy scene, merging contrasting environments and challenging perspectives. The eye, a frequent motif in Magritte's work, symbolizes the surrealist interest in how the external world is perceived and understood internally.