PositiveThe Spectator (UK)Alex Danchev’s posthumously published book — the final chapter was written by Sarah Whitfield from his notes — unpicks the philosophical basis thoughtfully and with real enlightenment. I would have enjoyed more investigation of the daily life of this most outwardly respectable of artists ... It’s worth saying, too, that the biography is handsomely illustrated. Not every artist’s estate is generous enough to allow hundreds of reproductions, including nearly 50 in colour ... The drama of thought is well explored, though Magritte leaves one, as always, with the nagging worry that art that reaches so emphatically for extra-painterly values, such as narrative or philosophical statement, always appeals strongly to contemporaries, but ages badly ... For the moment, the conscious mind and philosophical engagement of the artist is worth exploring conscientiously, as Danchev has done.
