In 1938, René Magritte (1898-1967) gave a lecture at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, KMSKA) on his vision of reality. There, he discussed the origins and development of his art, as well as the history of the Surrealist movement in Belgium. 

Titled ‘La ligne de vie‘ or ‘The Lifeline‘, this lecture, his second after the one at the International Surrealist Exhibition in London, was the most important Magritte ever gave about his own work.

About the exhibition

The exhibition ‘Magritte. La ligne de vie‘ revisits that key moment in Belgian art history. It invites you to walk, as it were, through Magritte’s lecture, guided by his own words and the paintings he described at the time. Just like him, you begin with his early work and encounter paintings full of visual riddles and wordplay, such as ‘Ceci n’est pas une pipe‘. Magritte himself explains why he painted trees and windows so often, and what lies behind these motifs.

At the same time, the exhibition shows how important this lecture was for the Antwerp Surrealist scene. Figures such as Marcel Mariën and Léo Dohmen, who would later help shape post-war Surrealism in Flanders, found a guide in Magritte. 

His appearance at the KMSKA marks a turning point: Magritte presents himself not only as an artist but also as a thinker. His sober, visual approach stands in stark contrast to the dreamy French Surrealism and sets the tone for a distinctive Belgian variant, in which mystery is hidden within the banal.

“Nature grants us the dreamlike state that gives our body and mind the freedom they so urgently need”, René Magritte said during his lecture ‘La ligne de vie’.

It is no coincidence that this exhibition runs in parallel with the show on Marthe Donas. Both exhibitions represent two different directions within modernism. And although Magritte initially experimented with abstraction as well, he ultimately rejected this form of painting and chose his own path. He wanted to paint ideas.

A visit

The exhibition starts with a timeline of Magritte’s life and an introduction to his work. Using artificial intelligence, his voice is recreated, citing from the lecture. You can also hear the lecture in full. That takes 36 minutes.

The exhibition is smaller than usual. Usually, temporary exhibitions at KMSKA for a a ‘flat U’ on one side of the building. Now it’s only half. 

Combination

The exhibition is a collaboration between the KMSKA and the Fondation René Magritte. Would you also like to visit the exhibition ‘Donas, Archipenko & La Section d’Or‘ after your visit to ‘Magritte. La ligne de vie’? You should allow about one hour for the Magritte exhibition. You can select both time slots when reserving your tickets.

An hour is a good estimation. The exhibition runs to Sunday 22 February 2026.

Art and museums in Antwerp

• REVIEW | ‘Universal Tongue’, on dance, at Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS) until 4 January 2026.
• 2028 to be Music Year in Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | MAS celebrates the universal language of dance with ‘Universal Tongue’, from 25 October 2025 to 4 January 2026.
• ANTWERP | Flemish government cancels €130 million new museum building for M HKA in Antwerp.
• MOMU | ‘GIRLS. On Boredom, Rebellion and Being In-Between’, 27 September 2025 to 1 February 2026.
• ANTWERP | Museum Plantin-Moretus highlights 300 years of women’s stories in ‘Women’s Business / Business Women’.
• Antwerp fashion museum MoMu will mark 40 years of The Antwerp Six with exhibition.
• ANTWERP | Museum Mayer van den Bergh opens exhibition ‘Public Favourites’, from Mad Meg to Delft Blue, look at art through other people’s eyes.
• ANTWERP | Museum Night 2025 on Saturday 2 August.
• ANTWERP | Middelheim Museum celebrates 75 years with a summer full of new ways to experience the art park.
• M HKA 2025 |​ Bruno Zhu – Panamarenko – ‘The Situation is Fluid’ – Today’s Place – Hugo Roelandt.
• ANTWERP | ‘These Branching Moments’ – ‘.tiff 2025′ – ”OM/MOTHER’: 3 new exhibitions at FOMU, from 28 June 2025.
• ANTWERP | ‘Compassion’ in the MAS: the many faces of compassion.
• 2025 at the museums of Antwerp.
• 2025 at Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Antwerp (KMSKA): René Magritte, Marthe Donas, Panamarenko, Hans Op de Beeck.
• ANTWERP | Graphics Museum De Reede ft. Francisco Goya, Edvard Munch, Félicien Rops and Albrecht Dürer.
• ANTWERP | Rubens Experience and Rubens Garden at Rubenshuis.
• ANTWERP | Innovations in the Middelheim Museum provide a completely new visitor experience.
• A visit of the Flemish Tram and Bus Museum – Vlaams Tram- en Autobusmuseum (VlaTAM) in Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | Discovering queer(ed) art with the Queer Tour at the KMSKA fine arts museum.
• REVIEW | Illusion Antwerpen, an active and photogenic museum.
• Antwerp museums and sports facilities team up with European Disability Card for accessible leisure activities.
• Museum Mayer van den Bergh.
• ANTWERP | Inside Rubens House.
• Museum Plantin-Moretus in Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | Museum Vleeshuis up for restoration.
• BOOK | ‘Antwerp. An Archaeological View on the Origin of the City’ by Tim Bellens.
• Red Star Line Museum.
• Paleis op de Meir. 
• DIVA, Antwerp Home of Diamonds.
• ANTWERP | Red Star Line Museum of (e)migration.