`The Invisible Object` and Magritte’s `The Empire of Lights.`
Giacometti’s `The Invisible Object` and Magritte’s `The Empire of Lights. ` Both of these works capture the anxiety of post World War One Europe. Both artist lived through the First World War in Europe. Albert Giacometti was from Switzerland and Rene Magritte was from Belgium. Their experiences from the war obviously influenced these particular works of art. Albert Giacometti completed his sculpture called “The Invisible Object” in 1934. This piece is one of his final works from his Surrealist Period which concluded the same year.
It was in 1935 that he moved on to representational art. (Museum of Modern Art). This particular piece captures the anxiety from the war in the empty arms. Is the symbolism the fact that the woman is holding onto something unseen, or is she holding onto someone no longer around to hold. There were many empty arms in Europe after the war. The anguish of the women left behind after so many deaths on the battlefield is captured in this work. Rene Magritte succeeds in sending message in his painting titled “Empire of Lights.
” The work was completed in 1954. As in many homes in post World War Europe, the skies are clear and blue. The war is over. Yet in the home – there is darkness – the home is still empty because not everyone came home. As a symbol of hope in his painting Magritte leaves the light on – the light of hope. Maybe the missing person will return. Then the light in the upstairs room is the light of someone – in one room waiting? The rest of the house is dark. Rene himself would not agree with the implied meaning of his painting.
He said “My painting is visible images which conceal nothing; they evoke mystery and, indeed, when one sees one of my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question ‘What does that mean’? It does not mean anything,” (Magritte). Bibliography Magritte, R. “The Expo Shop Com. ” The Magritte Site. 2009. 22 Feb 2009 http://www. magritte. com/ Museum of Modern Art. “MoMA. org” Alberto Giacometti. (Swiss, 1901-1966) 2007 Oxford University Press. 22 Feb 2009 http://www. moma. org/collection/details. php? artist_id=2141§ion_id=T032026
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