René Magritte (1898-1967) was a Belgian surrealist artist, known for creating thought-provoking, poetic, and mysterious images. His artworks frequently require the viewer to reconsider their perception of reality, and his 1937 painting The Therapist is no exception. The painting depicts a faceless individual wearing a hat and curtain-like poncho, which opens up to reveal a cage holding two birds. The ambiguous figure sits with no chair, hovering over the sand near the sea. The birdcage makes up the figure’s torso and has been left open, though the birds have unexpectedly not taken flight. Interpretations have focused on these two animals and what they might represent in consideration of the title - do they reveal the memories or anxieties that therapy brings out? Or do they suggest the possibility that therapy can open the door to let these concerns go?

Learn more about the artist that inspired this pin HERE.