Checkmate 1926

This is René Magritte's 'Checkmate', made with ink and gouache on paper, and looking at it, I feel like he was working through something tough. The colour palette of black, white, and grays really sets the scene. You can almost feel the weight of the chess piece and the darkness of the room. The black handgun contrasting with the white face of the figure makes me wonder what was going on in his head when he made it. I can see him experimenting with surreal imagery, much like in his other works. There's a hint of Giorgio de Chirico here too, don’t you think? These artists were all in conversation with each other, trying to figure out the mysteries of life through painting. It makes you think about how all artists are in a way, playing a game of chess with ideas, constantly responding to each other's moves through their work.