The Belgian painter René Magritte (1898-1967) was an outstanding figure in the Surrealist movement and is surely one of this century's major artists. Since the 1960s his work has had a massive and continuing influence, not only on art, but on the imagery of popular culture. This is the fifth and final volume of the critically acclaimed catalogue raisonné of the artist, edited by David Sylvester. This volume is the essential supplement to the series, including a cumulative index, an annotated select bibliography by Lynette Cawthra, exhibitions lists and important revisions and additions to the four earlier volumes, written by David Sylvester, Sarah Whitfield and Michael Raeburn. As a whole, the series (I-V) presents an authoritative survey of the artist's oeuvre, from 1916 to his death in 1967. The text offers a systematic survey of his oil paintings (I-III), objects (II-III), bronzes (III), gouaches, temperas, watercolours and papiers collés (IV), and Magritte's work as a commercial artist (V). Underpinning the entries on the individual works is a minutely detailed biographical chronology which constitutes a major contribution to the study of Surrealism in Belgium. The books include substantial and often unpublished extracts from Magritte's correspondence and writings, given both in the original French and in English translation. Volume V completes a series widely recognised as indispensable for Magritte scholars and admirers alike.
