"Art draws on magic - the revolt of the will against destiny - for the stimulus to regenerate its permanent undesirableness … My painting is autobiographical … It also recounts reveries that are formally and temporally primitive … My painting is symbolic. Each time, it is a direct poetic message. " - Victor Brauner
Victor Brauner (1903–1966) was one of Surrealism's most enigmatic visionaries. Born in Romania into a family fascinated by spiritualism and the occult, Brauner carried a lifelong interest in mythology, dreams, alchemy, and esoteric traditions into his art. After settling in Paris in the 1930s, he became a close associate of André Breton and the Surrealist circle.
His career is forever marked by an extraordinary incident: in 1931, he painted a self-portrait depicting himself with one eye gouged out. Seven years later, during a violent altercation between fellow artists, Brauner lost his left eye in precisely that manner. The incident cemented his reputation as a prophetic figure within Surrealism, reinforcing the belief that his paintings possessed an almost supernatural foresight. In the 1940s, Brauner strengthened his interest in alchemy, Kabbalah, mythology, and ancient cultures.