The False Mirror (1928) is a surrealist oil painting by René Magritte that depicts a human eye framing a cloudy, blue sky. [1] [2] [3] In the depiction of the eye in the painting, the clouds take the place normally occupied by the iris. [4] [5] [6] The painting's original French title is Le faux miroir. [7]
Magritte painted three versions of Le faux miroir. [8]
The original version of The False Mirror was painted at Le Perreux-sur-Marne, France in 1928. Between 1933 and 1936 it was owned by the surrealist photographer Man Ray. [9] [10] The painting was purchased from Man Ray by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It has remained in the MOMA permanent in collection since its purchase. [11]
Magritte painted a second version of The False Mirror in 1935. The oil on canvas work, sized 19 × 27 cm, is in a private collection. [12] [13] [7]
A gouache on paper version of The False Mirror, executed by Magritte in 1952, sold at auction in 2010 for GBP 373,250. [14]
The painting is said to be one of the inspirations for the 1952 CBS television "eye" logo designed by William Golden. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]
Vaporwave and New Age producer Eco Virtual used this painting as the album cover on her second album, ATMOSPHERES 第2. [20]