Les compagnons de la peur 1942

René Magritte made this oddball painting, Les compagnons de la peur, with oils, and who knows what else. Magritte’s got this hyper-real style, but it’s also super flat, like a cartoon or a sign. Look at those owls, and the leaves that become their bodies. They are meticulously painted, but it's the juxtaposition of elements that really gets you. The colors are muted, which adds to the eerie feeling. The surface is smooth, almost like glass, which heightens the dreamlike quality. The combination of detailed realism with bizarre, surreal imagery is very similar to the work of de Chirico. But you know, art's a conversation, so maybe Magritte’s just adding his two cents to the mix. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide. Art's not about answers, it's about the questions it stirs up, right?