La Grande Marée 1946

"La Grande Marée" (1946) by René Magritte is a surrealist painting that presents a female torso bisected, one half rendered in smooth flesh tones, the other half textured in wood grain, further emphasizing the jarring juxtaposition. The sky and a draped cloth behind the torso add a sense of theatrical setting, typical of Magritte’s work, as he often utilized everyday objects in uncanny combinations. The image challenges our understanding of perception and reality, characteristic of the artist’s signature style.