Two previously unknown sketches by Belgian surrealist René Magritte have been authenticated, enriching the legacy of one of the 20th century's most celebrated artists. The Magritte Committee, the authority on the authenticity of his works, confirmed that these are genuine creations by the artist.
The artworks, a charcoal sketch of a nude woman and a pencil drawing of a seated woman, remained hidden for years in the collection of Belgian art critic Arthur Tommelein, who likely acquired them at flea markets. Hidden for years, the sketches passed to Tommelein’s daughter following his death. Now, she has decided to put them up for auction.
Henri Godts of Arenberg Auctions, which will handle the sale, praised the pieces as early examples of Magritte's exploration of form and abstraction. "It is an early character drawing whose powerful outline and shaded areas show the beginning of a cubist deconstruction of the human figure, characteristic of his other sketches from that period," Godts explained. He also highlighted their resemblance to other charcoal studies of female nudes by Magritte, including those sold at Sotheby’s in 1987.
The discovery of the sketches coincides with the centenary of surrealism, though Arenberg Auctions notes that the timing is purely coincidental. The newly authenticated works are set to be auctioned on 12 December, with an estimated starting value of 3,000 euros each.
Auctiondate: 12, 13 & 14 December, Arenberg Auctions, Brussels
Main Image: Dessin au crayon, 21 x 17,5 cm, papier vergé au filigrane "Antique de Lux[?] BCM/SH", couronné, signé en bas à dr. "Magritte" (jauni, verso blanc). Est. 3.000 Euro - 5.000 Euro
Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.
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