Le Précurseur

1930s

The patronage of Edward James

The British Surrealist patron Edward James let Magritte stay rent-free in his London home, where he studied architecture and painted; James is depicted in two paintings of 1937, “The Pleasure Principle” and “Not to Be Reproduced”.

1930–1954 · Résidence

René Magritte House

1934

Alice Lorge buys “Black Magic”

Suzanne Spaak’s sister Alice Lorge bought “La Magie noire” — the first of a series of eleven paintings showing Georgette Berger in a classical nude pose; Claude Spaak commissioned portraits of his wife and children from Magritte.

1936

First solo exhibition in the United States

In 1936 his first solo exhibition in the United States was held at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York.

1936–1940

An affair with Sheila Legge and a marriage in crisis

In 1936 Magritte met the young performance artist Sheila Legge and began an affair with her; he arranged for his friend Paul Colinet to entertain and distract Georgette, but this led to an affair between Georgette and Colinet. The couple did not reconcile until 1940.

1938

Exhibition at the London Gallery

In 1938 an exhibition of his work was held at the London Gallery, following the New York solo show of 1936.