Sixteenth of September 1956

René Magritte created this oil on canvas titled 'Sixteenth of September'. Here, a crescent moon is suspended among the leaves of a tree, set against a twilight sky. The crescent moon is a symbol pregnant with meaning throughout history. It can represent the cyclical nature of time, renewal, and the feminine principle, a counterpart to the solar, masculine deity. Think of Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, often depicted with a crescent moon adorning her brow. But notice how Magritte inverts our expectations. The moon, typically associated with night, appears incongruously in what seems to be a daylight scene. This juxtaposition creates a disorienting effect, disrupting our sense of reality and inviting us to question the nature of perception. Such subversions of reality, present in dreams and folklore, invite us to access collective memory and the power of symbols. Like a dream, Magritte's image speaks to us on a subconscious level. These images are not static; they evolve and resurface, taking on new meanings in each era.