René Magritte

Updated October 27, 2026

Title: Floating Stones Above the Sea with a Sailing Ship Technique: Gouache on paper Measures: 12.5 x 9 inches (31.8 x 22.9 cm) Year: Undated Condition: Appears in generally good visual condition based on the photographs supplied, with clear, even coloration and a lightly textured, stippled paint surface in the clouds and stones. No significant losses, tears, or creases are apparent in the available images. Minor surface irregularities, light handling marks, and age-related wear may be present. Presented in a gold-toned frame with a brushed linear finish and a beaded inner molding, showing minor surface wear. Not examined out of the frame. Condition is described from the photographs supplied. Please review all photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the condition description. Provenance: Private Colelction Visual Description: A calm seascape in vertical format, transformed by an impossible element: two large, smooth gray stones hover in the sky as if weightless. The upper half of the composition is a bright cobalt and cornflower-blue sky filled with rounded white clouds, their soft edges built from small stippled touches of white and pale blue. Among them, the two egg-shaped stones, modeled in warm gray, taupe, and charcoal with speckled surfaces and shaded undersides, float one above the other at the center, their solid mass contrasting with the airy clouds around them. A long bank of white cumulus clouds rests along the horizon. Below, the sea stretches across the canvas in bands of teal, turquoise, and blue-green, broken by short white strokes that suggest light on the water. A three-masted sailing ship with deep blue sails moves along the horizon at left, while in the foreground a single wave curls and breaks in white foam before a narrow strip of sandy beach in ochre and cream. The matter-of-fact rendering of an irrational scene, with heavy objects suspended in an otherwise ordinary landscape, reflects the visual language of Surrealism and its poetic dislocation of everyday reality. The lower right bears a painted inscription reading "magritte." This composition reflects stylistic elements commonly associated with major figures in modern and contemporary art. For additional information regarding certification, provenance, or any inquiries about this piece or other items, please don't hesitate to contact us through the HiBid platform. A secondary market exists for uncatalogued artworks like this one, which often results in lower estimated and sale prices compared to catalogued artist works. If you have any specific questions or require further assistance in understanding the value, context, or details of this artwork, we are here to help and provide any additional information you may need.

More lots in this auction

• Claude Monet
• Banksy
• Walt Disney
• Pablo Picasso
• Frida Kahlo
• Henri Matisse
• Keith Haring
• Vincent van Gogh

See all lots in Fine Art Event No Reserve/Everything Must Sell →