[ART ANALYSIS] The Lost Jockey (1948) by René Magritte
I have rarely been able to muster much enthusiasm for the Surrealist movement other than in a purely theoretical and philosophical sense, where it certainly is fascinating. In practice it often leaves me cool. I can reach a moment of inspiration when I see a surrealist painting for the first time, in the same way that I can be fascinated by an unexpected idea. But the poetic depth that these artists were aiming at is usually lost on me. An artist like Dalí for instance; while technically brilliant, most of his paintings feel clinical, empty and drained of passion to me.
An example of a surrealist painting that actually manage to affect me on a deeper level is The Invention of Life (see my analysis of it here) by Belgian surrealist René Magritte (1898-1968).
Another one is The Lost Jockey from 1948, a gouache on paper, also by Magritte. We see a desolate winter landscape with drop shaped trees that all look the same. The tree crowns are leafless and the atmosphere yellow-brown. Is it a poisoned world we are viewing? In the foreground we see a jockey that seems to have has gone astray from the racecourse, and incessantly continues into the unknown like a mechanical toy. The contrast between stillness and dynamism - the speed of the horse and jockey and the stillness of the dead landscape - is very interesting and striking. I also experience the kind of confusion that doesn't come from new and strange places - but from a landscape where everything is confusingly similar; the deserted plains, or days that are so similar that they aren't discernible; the horrifying revelation of becoming blind to your own surroundings: the rooms, the neighborhood, the daily view of the landscape - everything that habit has put its deafening hand over. Another one of those paintings that probably says more about the individual spectator than anything else - a mirror of the soul and the dark side of consciousness.
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Wonderful and interesting piece you have written here. As an artist myself I am also interested in art history but I confess I do not know so much about Magritte being more taken with Rothko. Thus I had not seen this work of the Jockey and I find your analysis of it quite beautiful and thought provoking. I agree, of all the versions the first one painted rather simply is definitely the most powerful on the eye at least. Simplicity is often the most effect way of getting a message or view across. I find the image quite hypnotic and once see is difficult to get out of your head, a feat not easily achieved. As well as your interesting view I also see a someone who is perhaps fleeing from a world of desolation with the jockey representing the speed of which this person wished to escape. Perhaps if Magritte were alive today he might repaint it using a jet airplane. Thank you for introducing me to this wonderful piece I have gained and learned a new appreciation of this artists and will further contemplate on what this image might mean as this was just my initial response. Upvoted. I look forward to seeing more of your posts if they are as good as this one. Meaning I now will "follow" you. Cheers!
Thanks for the comment!
Yes, perhaps it's even somewhat of a vanitas image; maybe he's vainly attempting to escape death - death which is represented by the desolate landscape? I think it has something to do with alienation and being misplaced / out of context also. There are many ways of looking at it :) Rothko is one of my favorite artists btw, I might do a piece on him.
Ah yes of course, running away from death would make perfect sense. Well spotted. Oh yes please do one on Rothko I would look forward to that with glee. It is a long time since I have so much enjoyed reading an analysis of an art work and I mean that sincerely. I love art history and have read many books on the subject but many writers tend to be somewhat over clinical forgetting to mention the feeling. You have a writing style there that is rather appealing regards to this as well as thought provoking and educational. You have a gift there and one I feel is perhaps missing from the art world at the moment. Everyone has become so focused on the value of art, the high prices I mean, that they have almost lost touch with the gift that art is in our lives, if you get my meaning? So glad I have discovered you by joining this platform. Look forward to your next post and thanks for the reply!
Thank you so much for your kind words, it means a lot!
cool
good blog
The original idea! Cool art in my opinion!