For the first time since 1980, René Magritte's L'ami intime from 1958 will go under the hammer this spring, carrying an estimate of £30-50 million. The event will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the publication of André Breton's Surrealist Manifesto.
See also: René Magritte: Bowler Hats with Belgitude
The painting comes from the collection of Gilbert and Lena Kaplan and was last publicly exhibited in 1998 at the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique in Brussels.
L'ami intime prominently features one of the artist's most significant symbols: the bowler hat. Ever since its first appearance in the 1926 painting Les rêveries du promeneur solitaire, the bowler hat hat has remained a recurring motif in Magritte's oeuvre, representing anonymity and lonely wanderers. In L'ami intime ('The Intimate Friend'), the anonymity of the subject is reinforced by the fact that they are depicted from behind. While engrossed in observing the scenery, they remain unaware of the baguette and glass of wine hovering behind them. This emphasis on the unknown heightens the painting's sense of mystery and poetry, introducing an intriguing contradiction to its title.
See also: Surrealism and the Subconscious
Among the few 'bowler-hat' paintings that are still in private ownership, L'ami intime is also distinguished by the artist's hyper-realistic technique.
Olivier Camu, vice president of impressionist and modern art at Christie's London, calls Magritte's masterpiece "extremely poetic, silent and mysterious" and believes that he is the most sought-after and valuable Surrealist artist, a claim supported by the high prices achieved on the auction market. Magritte's iconic painting L'empire des lumières at Sotheby's London in March 2022 achieved a record £59.4 million.
See also: This Magritte Masterpiece Sets Two Records
Ahead of its auction, L'ami intime will be exhibited publicly for the first time in 26 years, traveling to Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong before the sale in London on 7 March.