One of the defining characteristics of René Magritte's art was his fascination with ordinary objects, which he would manipulate and transform, imbuing them with new and unexpected meanings With his thought-provoking and enigmatic works, the Belgian artist carved a unique niche for himself in the art world, becoming one of the most influential figures in the history of Modern Art 

Born in 1898 in Lessines, Belgium, the artist first studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels between 1916 and 1918 In 1920, Magritte served the Belgian military for a year, post which he also briefly worked as a designer at a wallpaper factory 

With the influence of the Impressionistic style in his early works, he underwent an artistic transformation during the mid-1920s, when he began to reinvent himself as a figurative artist The first solo exhibition of his works took place at the Galerie Le Centaure in Brussels in 1927 After his surrealist works for the exhibition received harsh criticism, he moved to avant-garde Paris the same year The ensuing three years were highly productive for his career In Paris, he also came in contact with the members of the Surrealist circle, including Jean Arp, André Breton, Salvador Dalí, Paul Eluard, and Joan Miró Led by André Breton, the movement aimed to emancipate the mind by undermining rational thinking and granting unrestrained freedom to the unconscious However, facing financial difficulties, the artist moved back to Belgium in 1930

During the 1930s, Magritte achieved significant success in his artistic career In 1933, he held a solo exhibition at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels In 1936, he exhibited twice in New York – first with a solo show at the Julien Levy Gallery, followed by a group exhibition at MoMA titled "Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism" He also showcased at the International Surrealist Exhibition in London the same year 

With the outbreak of World War II, the artist continued to live in Belgium 

Amidst these war years, he embarked on a journey of artistic exploration, delving into different styles and techniques These include what is now known as his 'Renoir' period, spanning from 1943-1947, and the 'Vache' period in 1948 

The artist reconnected to his preoccupation with Surrealist imagery towards the end of the 1940s and remained dedicated to this pursuit until he died in 1967