An Analysis of Magritte's The Lovers II

The following is a paper written during my freshman year of university for an Honors Art History course reflecting on Rene Magritte's The Lovers II.

Magritte’s The Lovers II: Obscurity and Identity

Rene Magritte was a Belgian surrealist painter, active in the early-to-mid 1900s. Known for his depictions of humans in illogical or confusing contexts. An example of this illogicality, The Lovers II is a 1928 oil painting, measuring 21 ⅜” x 28 ⅞”. The painting was not commissioned, though it is a continuation of Magritte’s previous painting, The Lovers which depicts a similar subject.

The painting depicts a couple pressed together, kissing each other through veils. Behind them, a simple grey and blue background resembles a cloudy sky, while the upper right corner houses a wall and ceiling, red and cream colored respectively. A piece of elaborate crown molding separates the two. One figure is dressed in a muted red top that matches the wall, while the other wears a dark suit. Both faces are completely obscured, a common theme in Magritte’s work. In this painting, among others, Rene Magritte seeks to isolate his subjects in a world of their own, highlighting social expectations and subverting stereotypes.

The composition of the image is simple, set to frame the couple. While the figure in the suit is the technical center of the image, the wall behind them brings the focus back to the contact between the subjects’ veils. The minimal background keeps a viewer’s eye on the couple, the simple blue-grey backdrop eliminating visual distraction. 

The colors of Magritte’s painting are muted but contained. Shadows are painted in blue-tinted grey, while mute red and orange are present on the wall and the top of the woman. The man’s suit is painted in stark black, while his visible white shirt is tinted with blue and grey. A light source in the painting is felt from the right, illuminating the back of one figure and the front of the other. The woman’s arm and back are lit, displaying the relatively bright color of her top.  Both veils have a variety of values, neither being transparent to any degree. The woman’s veil fades to dark as it comes into contact with the man’s, and the light on his nose restarts the lighted system of values on his figure. Neither the wall nor ceiling have much of an indication of the light source, but the backdrop has its own ombre, light to dark from top to bottom.

The image’s mood is, as the characters are, veiled. There is a tangible sense of anonymity that aids in the work’s relatability, though the piece has a somber tone overall. The colors and lighting reinforce a sense of ambiguity and foreboding. In summation, the lighting and colors that Magritte utilizes to illuminate and depict these two figures aid in the mood, creating a melancholy but beautiful portrait.

Through this work, Magritte aims to balance his subjects, giving each a perspective and equal value in an isolated part of a world. In terms of contrast and color, little difference exists between the figures themselves, apart from the brighter tone of the woman’s top contrasted against the stark black of the man’s suit. However, the veils of the figures do contribute to their differences, in lighting and focus. The positioning of the couple in relation to a dim light source from the painting’s left side lights the man’s face while obscuring the woman’s. As their lips meet through the veils, there is a stark variation in tone from the woman’s shaded brow and cheek to the man’s brightly lit face. While it could be argued that this difference creates a hierarchy between the two, it is intriguing to note that the woman does not have a lack of visual interest, but the opposite. She contributes color to the left side of the painting’s frame, soaking up light on her intricate red top, allowing the man’s chest and shoulders to remain mostly shaded. The figures are evenly matched in color, contrast, and value, which presents them as a package subject. Neither holds more value, and neither is given more space.

Though the painting’s mood can come across as wholeheartedly somber, there is a lightness to the couple’s embrace, a separation that further isolates them from their surroundings. Magritte’s “Lovers” are separated from our world by their presence in art, but they also escape their own world, through the hope of their character. They embrace despite masks, holding each other away from the darkness around them. The couple is the brightest thing in their world, and they cling to that knowledge and opportunity. They share the image’s focus precisely, neither allowing the other to be more interesting. While the man is taller, with his face more brightly lit, the woman’s bright top and absorption of light meet his challenge, allowing both subjects to shine in their respective roles. Magritte’s known motif of obscured faces aids in the painting’s unique hierarchy, erasing one of the most distinct sources of recognition present in any depiction of a human. With facial expressions, hair, or ornamentation, it would be far simpler to identify the figure with more focus, respect, or power, but the simple obscuring of faces and direction of light allows for a distinct, shared, regard.

Magritte’s paintings tended to be inspired by his mental health struggles and personal trauma, though he also frequently looked to societal issues to inform pieces. This inspiration can very clearly be seen in his depictions of women, which often comment on the commodification of sexuality and fantasy. The Lovers II stands out, along with its predecessor, depicting a couple with their faces obscured, and their bodies modestly covered. The woman is depicted in nearly the same manner as the man she is embracing, with the only differences being their height and clothing. If this painting were to display the figures’ faces, a dialogue could be had regarding stereotypes and hierarchy between them, but Magritte’s choice to omit these details leaves the image up for more individual interpretation.

Through this painting, a contained world has been created, one free from the culture and stereotypes of its time. While it is perfectly situated among much of Magritte’s work, it stands out as well, more of a timeless piece than his other paintings of women specifically. He forces the viewer to examine their own views of stereotypes and social standing by creating a space where two figures stand equal, able to simply exist.