“The hesitation waltz,” an artwork by the renowned Surrealist artist Rene Magritte, was created in 1950 in Brussels, Belgium. The piece, rendered with oil on canvas, measures 35 by 46 cm and belongs to the genre of symbolic painting. It exemplifies Magritte’s typical surrealistic approach, evoking a complex interplay of imagery and symbolism.
The artwork portrays two spherical green fruits or objects, resembling plums, each topped with leafy stems and adorned with masquerade masks. They appear to exist in a sharp, surreal juxtaposition against a serene beach backdrop, characterized by a clear sky filled with scattered clouds. The contrast between the intimate, almost human-like masks and the natural setting enhances the mysterious and contemplative atmosphere of the piece. The scene invokes a sense of disguise and enigma, hallmarks of Magritte’s artistic philosophy, encouraging viewers to ponder the deeper meaning beneath the surface appearance.
