The Lovers by Rene Magritte

One of my favourite paintings is The Lovers by Rene Magritte.
It is an oil on canvas depicting two individuals locked in an embrace. The figures are kissing one another through veils. They are situated in a room with the back wall, side wall and ceiling showing. I like the way that Magritte choose to hide their identity.
The meanings of this painting can stem from first glance, strictly surface based, and even hidden psychological meanings. The viewer can be impacted by it or not. It seems that all who see this painting are interested in the veils covering the faces of the main figures. For this reason Magritte was ingenious. The fact that all people kiss and the two in his painting seem to be unable to physically meet in such an intimate way strikes people. Art is supposed to be inspirational, controversial, provocative and everything in between.

Contemporary artists have been greatly influenced by René Magritte’s stimulating examination of the fickleness of images. Some artists who have been influenced by Magritte’s works include John Baldessari , Ed Ruscha, andy Warhol,Jasper Johns,etc. Some of the artists’ works integrate direct references and others offer contemporary viewpoints on his abstract fixations.

This disturbing painting of two shrouded lovers kissing is drawn from Magritte’s tragic childhood when he discovered his mother’s dead body in the lake, her head covered by her night dress like a shroud. Welsh post-hardcore outfit Funeral for a Friend took this concept for the cover of its debut album, Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation (see below).

And this is a fresh inspiration of Magritt’s painting