The Empire of Light

The Empire of Light (L'empire des lumieres) is one of Rene Magritte's most famous ideas: a quiet street lit by a single glowing lamp at night, set beneath a bright blue daytime sky. The impossible mix of day and night feels calm rather than alarming, which is exactly what unsettles people.

Magritte painted several versions over many years. In November 2024 the 1954 version sold at Christie's in New York for about 121 million dollars, a record for the artist and for a Surrealist work at auction.