The infinite recognition 1963

René Magritte’s painting presents us with two men floating on a cloud. It seems the artist is making a comment on the social structures of his time. Magritte painted this work in Belgium, and it is reflective of the kind of crisis that Europe was undergoing in the mid-20th century, a period of conflict and uncertainty following two world wars. Note the way the men are dressed, in dark overcoats and bowler hats. This clothing was typical of the bourgeois middle class of the time. These figures appear identical, as if they are interchangeable, perhaps suggesting the interchangeability of men within the capitalist system. The men occupy a space between earth and sky. The clouds might represent the world of ideas and culture, while the earth may represent the world of manual labor and industry. In what ways is Magritte asking us to question the place of the bourgeoisie in this context? To understand this and other works more fully, we might look to period writings, newspapers, and other cultural documents. Art always speaks from and to a particular time and place.