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A notable canvas from the renowned surrealist artist Magritte that has remained within one personal possession for over nine decades is scheduled to go auctioned this October.

The Intriguing Story Behind this Painting

La Magie Noire was originally purchased by the relatives belonging to Spaak, a Second World War resistance heroine that acted as Magritte's patron during a time where Magritte was struggling economically and had failed to move any piece over two years.

She was shot at the hands of the Gestapo in Paris for her actions in helping Jewish children find security.

Sale Estimates with Expectations

The auction house has projected that La Magie Noire could fetch in the range of five million euros and seven million euros, but many anticipate that it will achieve a higher price.

“It is the first time I’ve managed an important piece by Magritte which has remained with one household since it was painted,” stated an high-ranking auction house official. “It is extraordinary, as is the story of the family.”

He further described the painting by saying “the Taylor Swift in surrealist art,” noting that “If you were to ask some students to do a report on surrealism, this painting by itself could be enough to explain it.”

Magritte's Formative Challenges and Career Development

The Belgian painter initially worked as an artist in a wallpaper plant and produced commercial ads before 1926, at which point Magritte produced his debut surrealist work.

A year later, he had his first show in the Belgian capital, but the critics were harsh so disheartened the artist relocated to France, in which he was unable to establish his mark.

Magritte returned to his homeland by 1930 where he formed an advertising agency with his brother Paul.

“Life for Magritte was very difficult at this time. The Great Depression which began in 1929 in the US hit the French economy by the early 1930s. Over a two-year span, from 1930 and 1932, he sold nothing and had no exhibitions,” an specialist explained.

No one purchased artworks from surrealist artists. These artists were viewed as revolutionary agitators.”

The Role of the Patrons

The spouse, Claude Spaak, a well-known Belgian-born playwright, knew Magritte and a benefactor, ordering paintings of Suzanne and their kids while also organizing a monthly stipend for the artist and his family.

In 1934, Suzanne Spaak’s sister Alice, known as Bunny, acquired La Magie Noire to celebrate the arrival of her first child alongside Emile, an industrial industrialist.

“The Spaak family represented for Belgium what the Mountbattens were for Britain; like royalty and they pulled Magritte through hard times,” an expert commented. “It was bought to mark the arrival of a child but it also marked a rebirth for Magritte who was trying to recover financially.”

Painting Features and Symbolism

The subject for the series was his spouse, Georgette Berger, who is depicted in a classical manner like a marble statue resting her hand on a block of stone.

Her upper body gradually blends with the sky in the background whereas her lower half maintains its realistic coloring.

The artist later created ten comparable portraits, most of which received distinct titles. Here, the initial in the series, Berger is portrayed with a bird perched on her shoulder.

A portion of the backdrop shows a semi wood-panelled wall inside.

Her Heroic Resistance Activities

The couple were living in Paris when war broke out in the late 1930s.

After the German takeover of Paris, she joined the resistance and served as a participant of the “Red Orchestra” spy ring.

She employed her wealth to save over 160 Jewish youngsters from deportation, hiding several of them in her residence until they could be moved to safety.

Tragic End with Legacy

In October 1943, German forces arrested her together with hundreds of the network.

On 12 August 1944, days before the freeing of the city, the Gestapo executed Spaak in her prison cell. She was 38 and has since been honoured by the state of Israel among the Righteous Among the Nations for her efforts to save Jewish lives.

Magritte died from cancer in August 1967 and rests in Brussels.

Display with Auction Timeline

The painting, previously shown at the Magritte museum in Belgium, has been rarely seen outside Belgium over 90 years.

The piece will be shown in the French capital between 17 and 23 October prior to the auction on 24 October.