The Treachery Of Images (Ceci N Est Pas Une Pipe?

The Treachery of Images (Ceci n’est pas une pipe) was painted by René Magritte in Belgium, 1929. The painting was painted onto a canvas using oil. The canvas is measured to 23 ¾ x 31 15/16 x 1 inch (60.33 x 81.12 x 2.54 cm). And its frame to 30 7/8 x 39 1/8 x 3 in. (78.42 x 99.38 x 7.62 cm). It was purchased with funds provided by the Mr. and Mrs. William Preston Harrison Collection (78.7). It is currently on display in the 2nd floor of the Ahmanson Building, located at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). This painting appears to be of a pipe, however it has hand writing stating: “This is not a pipe”. For most people their first reaction may be confusion as they believe that is a pipe but I believe that the author does this intentionally to provide a figurative language between him and his audience. For instance, the painting is not necessarily not a pipe, but it is a painting of a pipe and not a pipe itself. Many of his audience can relate to this painting by using its meaning into their everyday life, such as, although something may appear to be something it can always be interpreted and seen differently than what it truly is. …show more content…
The artist utilizes many elements of composition, such as, line, texture, and color into his painting that gives the pipe a unique shape. The line quality is fantastic, it is so neat and precise. I was impressed with the how precise the lines were and how well blended it was because with some of my paintings that I have painted in the past, that was what I struggled with the most. The mood that this painting carries is a mysterious cool edge feeling it allows the audience to think outside the box and create an interpretation for