A Magritte valued at more than 11 million euros auctioned at the end of March

The work of the Belgian surrealist artist is estimated between 11.6 and 17.4 million euros. The work dates from 1959 and will be the most expensive painting of this sale entitled “The Art of the Surrealist Evening Sale” by Christie. Jean Miró’s “Painting” (1925) and Max Ernst’s “Cage, forest and black sun” (1927) are estimated respectively between 10.4 and 16.2 million euros and between 2.3 and 3 , 5 million euros.

The works come from the collection of Claude Hersaint. The Brazilian-born art collector grew up in Paris, where he bought his first painting at the age of 17. It was the beginning of a passion for surrealism.

According to Christie’s, Magritte’s painting is “one of the most important master works, and one of the artist’s four greatest works in private hands”. “The month of the harvest” shows the totemic and enigmatic figure of the man with the bowler hat, a well-known character of Magritte. From an open window, the viewer gazes at an endless number of these figures, each with subtly different facial features, creating an alienating and even disturbing composition.