Project for a mural, Norine House, Brussels - Rene Magritte
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
A preparatory mural study by Rene Magritte, featuring a stylised mermaid against a nocturnal mountain backdrop.
This work is a preparatory study for a mural commission intended for the Norine fashion house in Brussels. Executed in gouache, the composition displays the early stylistic leanings of Rene Magritte as he moved toward the surrealist aesthetic that would define his career. The image features a central figure, a mermaid, positioned against a dark, mountainous backdrop under a circular moon. The palette is restricted, relying on a deep blue ground to unify the scene, while contrasting pink and white tones define the figure and the celestial elements.
Magritte’s approach here is graphic and direct. The lines are bold, reflecting the requirements of a mural design where clarity and visual impact are necessary for architectural integration. The figure of the mermaid, rendered with a degree of stylisation, sits upon a dark rock formation. The surrounding environment is simplified into flat planes of colour, which creates a sense of artificiality. This reduction of form is characteristic of Magritte’s work during the mid-1920s, a period when he was actively experimenting with how to represent objects and figures in ways that subverted traditional expectations of reality.
The arched top of the composition suggests its intended placement within a specific architectural frame. Unlike his later, more enigmatic oil paintings, this piece provides a view into the practical applications of his artistic vision. It demonstrates how Magritte translated his conceptual ideas into decorative formats. The work remains a clear example of his early graphic sensibility, where the interplay between the figure and the surrounding space is managed through deliberate, controlled brushwork. The absence of complex shading or perspective reinforces the two-dimensional nature of the design, ensuring the mural would function effectively as a wall decoration rather than a window into an illusory space.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Project for a mural, Norine House, Brussels - Rene Magritte
Artist Biography
Rene Magritte
He grew up in Lessines, Belgium. His mother drowned herself in the River Sambre when he was thirteen; her body was found with her nightdress wrapped around her face. Whether this explains the recurring covered faces in his paintings is a question biographers have insisted on and Magritte consistently refused to answer.
He studied at the Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels and spent several years working as a commercial artist and wallpaper designer. The commercial work is relevant: his painting technique is deliberately flat, illustrative, and impersonal. There are no visible brushstrokes, no evidence of struggle. The surfaces look like advertisements for impossible things. He painted in a small room in his house, wearing a suit, with his easel next to the living room furniture.
He was a Surrealist but not the Parisian variety. He disliked Breton's intellectualising and preferred to work from home in Brussels. His version of Surrealism was cooler and more logical: ordinary objects placed in wrong contexts, familiar things made strange through simple displacement. A rock floating in the sky. An apple covering a face. A train emerging from a fireplace. Each painting poses a single visual problem and leaves you to solve it.
He made relatively few paintings compared to his contemporaries. Each one is self-contained. He did not develop through phases or wrestle with form. He found his approach early and refined it quietly for decades.
Why Choose Us ?
Damage-free delivery guarantee
Fast Shipping
Museum-Quality Materials
You May Also Like