Titania 1948

René Magritte made this painting, Titania, in 1948, and it looks like it was done with gouache or watercolor, something fluid and playful. I’m drawn to the way the colors don’t quite line up with the forms, giving it a kind of off-kilter, dreamlike vibe. The surface has this matte, chalky texture, like the colors were laid down quickly and without too much fuss. It’s not about perfection, but about capturing a feeling. Notice the dark brown and blue that edges the large hand at the top left. It's almost like he's carving out the space with color, not line, and that's what gives the piece its raw energy. It reminds me a bit of Francis Picabia’s more figurative work, where the image seems to be falling apart even as it comes together. For Magritte, it’s not about answers, but about inviting us to wander in the question.