René Magritte (1898–1967) was a key figure in Surrealism, but it wasn’t until after he parted ways with the movement that he truly found his voice. René Magritte: The Fifth Season is the first book to focus on his late career, examining the pivotal works from the 1940s through the 1960s that signal a shift from Modernism to contemporary art.

With over sixty paintings, this book explores Magritte’s intricate balance of irony, philosophy, and fantasy. It delves into lesser-known phases of his career, including his brief period influenced by Renoir, the vibrant période vache (with its Fauvist and Expressionist works), and the playful hypertrophy of objects series. Also featured is the Dominion of Light, a suite of paintings that explore the paradox of simultaneous day and night. Through these works, Magritte emerges as an artist deeply attuned to the contradictions of reality and the enduring power of mystery in art and life.