Magritte Glass House Print, Backward Portrait Wall Art Print

The visual trick in this print happens before the viewer has time to settle. A figure faces away, yet the face appears inside the back of the head, with the sea and sky holding the scene in a clean blue field. It is direct, spare, and uncomfortable in a precise way.

About René Magritte

René Magritte (1898–1967) was the Belgian Surrealist who made ordinary objects — bowler hats, apples, pipes, clouds — feel strange and dreamlike. Magritte painted in a calm, precise style, which makes his visual puzzles feel even more unsettling. Surrealist artists such as Magritte, Dalí and Miró used dream logic to make the familiar feel strange.

Styling this René Magritte print

This René Magritte print combines a surreal feel, a blue palette and a focus on portraiture. Hang “Glass House” at eye level, about 57 inches (145 cm) to its centre, in a living room; 18×24″ is a versatile size for most walls. Finish “Glass House” with a simple black or oak frame: its blue palette pairs naturally with white walls, navy or denim textiles and pale oak.

At a glance

• Type: René Magritte print
• Artist: René Magritte
• Style: Surrealism
• Colours: blue
• Mood: surreal
• Subject: Portraiture
• Collections: Rene Magritte Posters, Surrealist Art Prints