“The Therapeutist,” created by René Magritte in 1937 in Brussels, Belgium, is an oil painting on canvas measuring 47.6 x 31.3 cm. This artwork, representative of the Surrealism art movement, is an allegorical painting currently held in a private collection.
The artwork portrays a surreal scene featuring a figure sitting on a rock, partially covered by a red cloak. The figure’s torso and head are replaced by a large birdcage housing two white birds. The figure’s hands rest on either side of the cage, with one hand holding a walking stick and the other grasping a sack. The setting appears to be an outdoor landscape, with a clear blue sky and a suggestion of vegetation in the background. The piece exemplifies Magritte’s characteristic blend of the ordinary and the bizarre, provoking contemplation and interpretation.
