René Magritte (Belgian, 1898-1967)
Croquis et Etudes (recto) Hommes avec des cônes sur le nez (verso)

pencil
(unframed)

ARR

(Quantity:1)

Dimensions: 27 x 20.8 cm. (10 5/8 x 8 1/4 in.)

Sale; Sothebys, London The Remaining Contents of the Studio of René Magritte, the property of the late Georgette Berger, the widow of René Magritte, 2 July 1987, lot 809 (one of the drawings in the lot and illustrated in the catalogue) where purchased by the present owner.

In this sketch there is a figure of a woman coming out of a wardrobe, René Magritte’s drawings and paintings featuring women and cupboards (or cabinets) often explore themes of concealment, identity, and the mysterious inner self. In works like The Human Condition (1933) and The Window (various versions), everyday domestic objects such as cupboards or cabinets appear alongside or within scenes containing female figures, blurring the line between what is visible and what is hidden. The cupboard, traditionally a storage space for private or secret belongings, becomes a metaphor for the unconscious or repressed aspects of identity. When paired with the female form—often portrayed with a sense of mystery or partial concealment—Magritte prompts viewers to reflect on the tension between appearance and reality, public persona and private life. This juxtaposition is emblematic of his surrealist quest to reveal the unseen layers beneath ordinary surfaces, challenging viewers to question how much of the self is truly knowable.