Brussels Unveils Rediscovered René Magritte Sketches from 1920: Auction Begins at €3,000

Brussels (Eurotoday): Recently, two early sketches by Belgian surrealist René Magritte were discovered in Brussels. Created in 1920, they are signed by a young Magritte and are expected to start at 3,000 euros at auction on December 13. The drawings belonged to art critic Arthur Tommelein and were authenticated by the Comite Magritte.

Recently, some unknown drawings by the Belgian artist René Magritte were found in Brussels. These sketches are different from his later works and are signed by a young Magritte during his student days. Auction expert Henri Gods mentioned that it’s a nice coincidence they appeared this year, marking 100 years of surrealism. The drawings belonged to Arthur Tommelein, a Brussels art critic who likely found them at flea markets. After he passed away, his daughter had them checked, and the Comite Magritte confirmed they were authentic.

What are the newly discovered René Magritte sketches from 1920 worth at Auction?

Magritte’s sketches from 1920, one in charcoal and one in pencil, have been discovered. One charcoal drawing shows a female nude from the back, and on the back, there’s a side view of the same figure. Auction expert Henri Gods says Magritte was also making advertising signs at that time, and he might have used part of an ad design as the backing for the sketch. He even wrote his name and the year 1920 in blue ink on the back.

The second sketch is a drawing of a woman sitting down. The chair behind her is a common part of Magritte’s artwork. These sketches will be shown at Arenberg Auctions starting December 2 and will be sold on December 13. Each sketch is expected to start at a price of at least 3,000 euros. It has been said that many buyers from around the world might be interested in this auction. Earlier this month, one of Magritte’s famous paintings sold for over 114 million euros in New York.