I'm currently running a Surreal Art Contest here on Steemit, so surrealism has been on my mind quite a bit. Today I want to offer my critical analysis of Rene Magritte's famous painting The Lovers II.
First I want you to take a look at the painting. Really look at it. Breathe it in and consider it.
The Lovers II
54 cm by 73.4 cm
1928
Introduction
I chose to talk about this painting because I think it’s a beautiful piece of art and it carries a lot of meaning that really resonated with me.
The Lovers II depicts two individuals, a man and a woman, locked in an embrace and kissing. Their heads are covered by some kind of fabric, maybe curtains or bedsheets. This fabric prevents them from truly making physical contact in their kiss. The fabric is tight against their faces so that their profiles are clear, but it folds and wrinkles along the sides of the two heads. Both figures are finely dressed; the man is wearing a suit and tie, the woman is dressed in a sleeveless red outfit with white trim. Judging by what little we can see of the garment, I would assume that she is wearing a dress.
The figures are standing in a room with two walls and the ceiling visible to the viewer. The side wall is an antique brown-red, similar to the patterned red of the woman’s dress. There is a moulding that separates this wall from the beige ceiling. However, there is no moulding between the back wall and the ceiling. The back wall contains varying shades of blue. It almost looks like a cloudy sky.
Meaning
I think the painting is about how even people who are as close as lovers may never truly know each other. These figures can't truly see or feel each other with the fabric over their faces. The two figures are very close, like lovers should be, but even with that closeness they each keep something of themselves secret or hidden from the other. Whether the two subjects do it intentionally or not doesn't matter. Even if they are not willfully keeping their true selves hidden, every individual is infinitely complex; it may be impossible to know another person fully.
Because the lovers are unable to truly know each other, their desires are unsated. There’s a barrier between them preventing their embrace. Each figure’s passion is limited by their frustration and isolation from the other.
Analysis
Magritte paints very smoothly. In contrast to the way an artist like Van Gogh painted, there are no clearly defined brushstrokes here. All of the values are blended together.
The composition of this painting reminds me of a candid photograph. The figures are arranged in a way that centering them in the frame would be the natural instinct of most artists, but their faces are slightly off center, like a photo taken by someone who didn’t waste time to perfectly center his shot. This gives the painting a feeling of immediacy, as if the moment wasn’t planned, as if the artist just stumbled upon the scene and captured it. The presence of a wall on the right but not on the left further prevents the painting from having symmetry.
There is some use of complimentary colours in this piece. The brown-red of the wall and dress stand out against the blue-grey back wall. The colours in the painting are not bright. The blue is muted by grey and the red is pale. If the composition was used to suggest immediacy or even passion, the colours do the exact opposite. These aren’t the intense hues of fiery excitement. Magritte’s puts composition and colour in opposition to each other. This successfully plays into the idea that the lovers are unable to achieve the closeness and intimacy that they desire. It’s a moment of passion that is kept from living to its potential.
Interpretation
I would consider The Lovers II a very sad painting. To me, there are few things more depressing than loneliness, especially loneliness in the presence of others. The lovers are lonely and isolated even though they are so close to each other. It reminds me of the countless relationships, romantic or not, that are broken because the participants are unable or worse, unwilling to communicate effectively.
Conclusion
Whether it’s music, stories or visual art, I tend to find that sadness speaks to me. The Lovers II is no exception. Like a sad song, there’s immense beauty in this portrayal of loneliness.