The Pilgrim 1966

René Magritte made this painting, The Pilgrim, with oil on canvas, and goodness, doesn’t it make you stop and think? Magritte’s painting lives in a world of smooth surfaces and strange relationships. I imagine he painted this layer by layer, figuring out the composition as he went, adjusting, refining. Think about that bowler hat—how many versions did he try before it floated just so? That eerie, detached head is like a mask or a puzzle piece. I feel a connection to his process. I often find myself layering images and ideas, trying to find the right combination that resonates. It’s like a dance between intention and chance. Magritte and I are fellow travelers. I bet he, like me, found inspiration in all sorts of places. We’re all just riffing off each other, building on what came before. Isn't that neat?