Patrick Hughes (b. 1939)

It has been said of self-taught artists that they paint not just what they see, but also what they know, often defying perspective and other conventions to do so. In this they are not unlike map-makers who must distort in order to be truthful. Patrick Hughes is among this breed of artist' (see J. Slyce, Patrick Hughes Perspective, London, 2005, p. 9).

Patrick Hughes is well-known for his 'moving pictures' where he plays with reverse perspective by presenting those parts of the picture that seem farthest away at the nearest point. Magritte's Library is an impressive example of Hughes' three-dimensional paintings that gives the visual effect of constant motion, determined by the shifting position of the viewer. Hughes often uses the composition of a library, as in Magritte's Library, which is the perfect tool for his 'reverspective'. Hughes has often been referred to as a 'British Surrealist' and it is fitting that he would therefore choose to paint eight of René Magritte's most celebrated works in this present work. The details of these eight works are as follows, (from left to right): Le Séducteur, 1951; La reproduction interdite, 1937 (Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam); La lampe philosophique, 1936; Le château des Pyrénées, 1959 (The Israel Museum, Jerusalem); Les amants, 1928 (Australian National Gallery, Canberra); Le modèle rouge, 1935 (Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris); L'Explication, 1952; Le pays des miracles, 1964 or 1956.