Anatomical Fragments: Magritte, trauma and 'La Gâcheuse' [Fragments anatomiques : Magritte, le traumatisme et la gâcheuse]

Matheson, N. 2016. Anatomical Fragments: Magritte, trauma and 'La Gâcheuse' [Fragments anatomiques : Magritte, le traumatisme et la gâcheuse]. Mélusine. XXXVI, pp. 97-112.

TitleAnatomical Fragments: Magritte, trauma and 'La Gâcheuse' [Fragments anatomiques : Magritte, le traumatisme et la gâcheuse]
TypeJournal article
AuthorsMatheson, N.
Abstract

This article, a contribution to the Mélusine issue 'Masculin-féminin', considers René Magritte's controversial gouache 'La Gâcheuse' – a female torso with a skull in place of the head – in the light of trauma theory in the writings of Cathy Caruth. The article considers the role of anatomical drawings in Magritte's work and his deployment of the technique of resolving 'problems' within his works, as explained in his article 'La ligne de vie'.

KeywordsMagritte, surrealism, anatomy
JournalMélusine
Journal citationXXXVI, pp. 97-112
ISSN9782825145920
Year2016
PublisherAssociation pour la Recherche et l'Etude du Surréalisme (APRES)
Publication dates
Published28 Feb 2016

Related outputs

Material Ecstasy: cultural alienation and the influence of the nouveau roman in the work of Nakahira Takuma and J.M.G. Le Clézio
Matheson, N. 2021. Material Ecstasy: cultural alienation and the influence of the nouveau roman in the work of Nakahira Takuma and J.M.G. Le Clézio. Photographies. 14 (2), pp. 331-356. https://doi.org/10.1080/17540763.2021.1877790

Hiroshima-Nagasaki remembered through the body: haptic visuality and the skin of the photograph
Matheson, N. 2018. Hiroshima-Nagasaki remembered through the body: haptic visuality and the skin of the photograph. Photographies. 11 (1), pp. 73-93. https://doi.org/10.1080/17540763.2017.1399289

Surrealism and the Gothic: Castles of the Interior
Matheson, N. 2017. Surrealism and the Gothic: Castles of the Interior. London and New York Routledge.

Desert Islands: Magic and Modernity in the work of Ithell Colquhoun
Matheson, N. 2016. Desert Islands: Magic and Modernity in the work of Ithell Colquhoun. in: Allmer, P. (ed.) Intersections: Women Artists / Surrealism / Modernism Manchester, UK Manchester University Press. pp. 255-278

Technologies, spiritualisms, and modernities
Mays, S. and Matheson, N. 2013. Technologies, spiritualisms, and modernities. in: Mays, S. and Matheson, N. (ed.) The machine and the ghost: technology and spiritualism in 19th to 21st century art and culture Manchester Manchester University Press.

Fear of reflections: the photoworks of Paul McCarthy
Matheson, N. 2012. Fear of reflections: the photoworks of Paul McCarthy. in: Bleyen, M. (ed.) Minor photography: connecting Deleuze and Guttari to photography theory University of Leuven Press.

National identity and the 'melancholy of ruins': Cecil Beaton's photographs of the London Blitz
Matheson, N. 2008. National identity and the 'melancholy of ruins': Cecil Beaton's photographs of the London Blitz. Journal of War and Culture Studies. 1 (3), pp. 261-274. https://doi.org/10.1386/jwcs.1.3.261_1

Amazing stories from the future that never was: Neo Rauch and the haunted spaces of science fiction
Matheson, N. 2008. Amazing stories from the future that never was: Neo Rauch and the haunted spaces of science fiction. in: Holmgren Troy, M. and Wenno, E. (ed.) Space, haunting, discourse Newcastle Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

He who has never dreamt of Mae West: surrealist masculinity and the late collages of ELT Mesens
Matheson, N. 2007. He who has never dreamt of Mae West: surrealist masculinity and the late collages of ELT Mesens. in: Allmer, P. and van Gelder, H. (ed.) Collective inventions: surrealism in Belgium Leuven University Press.

Gursky, Ruff, Demand: allegories of the real and the return of history
Matheson, N. 2007. Gursky, Ruff, Demand: allegories of the real and the return of history. in: Sutton, D., Brind, S. and McKenzie, R. (ed.) The state of the real: aesthetics in the digital age London, UK I.B. Tauris. pp. 38-47

The ghost stamp, the detective and the hospital for boots: light and the postwar battle over spirit photography
Matheson, N. 2006. The ghost stamp, the detective and the hospital for boots: light and the postwar battle over spirit photography. Early Popular Visual Culture. 4 (1), pp. 35-51. https://doi.org/10.1080/17460650600590359

The phantom of surrealism: photography, cultural identity and the reception of surrealism in England
Matheson, N. 2005. The phantom of surrealism: photography, cultural identity and the reception of surrealism in England. History of Photography. 29 (2), pp. 149-162.

Permalink - https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/q1997/anatomical-fragments-magritte-trauma-and-la-g-cheuse-fragments-anatomiques-magritte-le-traumatisme-et-la-g-cheuse


Restricted files

Accepted author manuscript

Under embargo indefinitely

Share this

Usage statistics

147 total views
1 total downloads
These values cover views and downloads from WestminsterResearch and are for the period from September 2nd 2018, when this repository was created.