“The Model,” an oil-on-canvas artwork created by René Magritte in 1922 in Brussels, Belgium, exemplifies the Cubist movement. This nude painting (nu), measuring 40 x 29 cm, is currently housed in the Palais des beaux-arts de Charleroi in Charleroi, Belgium.
The artwork presents a stylized nude female figure, rendered in a geometric and abstract manner characteristic of Cubism. The figure is depicted with simplified shapes and bold colors, dominated by earthy tones with striking accents of red and green. The face of the model is marked by a large, vivid red hue, contrasting with the muted palette of the rest of the body. The background includes abstracted forms and fragmented spaces, enhancing the sense of dislocation and abstraction which are hallmarks of Cubist art. Overall, the artwork is a notable example of Magritte’s early exploration of form and composition, displaying a complex interplay between figure and ground.
