Magritte, straight up - his pictures and almost nothing else.
It's an incredibly rich experience, and even better for its strict chronological order. I'm fascinated to see themes appear, endure, fade away, and recur. What are those silvery balls with the black bands? Why tubas? That nearly Impressionist phase in the mid 1940s was a remarkable depature, but one that didn't last.
Best of all, the time series lets me see his skills develop. I like his later figures much better than the earlier ones, for one thing. His landscapes and textures gained in subtlety, too. Most of all, he continued to develop his language of image throughout his life - "The Blank Signature" (Le Blanc-seign) expresses ambiguities that he seemed to have worked decades to achieve.
Except for a brief time-line at the end, there is no commentary. I like that, at least I like it better than un-helpful commentary. Hughes consciously leaves me and Magritte alone with each other. That's fine by me - Magritte spoke through his pictures, and I might not have appreciated the interruption.
The book is beautifully printed, but somewhat small. Given this book's quality of color, wealth of images, and modest cost, I can accept that. It's a great introduction to this Surrealist master, a book I keep coming back to.
//wiredweird