The Israel Museum has received a temporary loan of a rare 1962 René Magritte gouache from an anonymous Belgian collector while its celebrated 1959 oil The Castle of the Pyrenees is restored after being torn by a young visitor. Conservators are stabilizing the canvas and reconnecting torn fibres under a microscope in the museum's open conservation laboratory. The 1959 oil was donated in 1985 by Harry Torczyner and will return to display once the restoration is complete.
Anonymous Belgian Lends Rare Magritte Study During Restoration of 'The Castle of the Pyrenees'
"The Castle of the Pyrenees" a painting by famous Belgian artist Rene Magritte is seen on a wall as a laborer on a ladder prepares the Israel Museum of Jerusalem for a re-opening. (photo credit: Gali Tibbon/AFP via Getty Images)
An anonymous Belgian collector has temporarily lent a rare 1962 gouache by René Magritte to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem while the museum's celebrated 1959 oil, The Castle of the Pyrenees, undergoes conservation following accidental damage.
The small gouache on paper presents an alternate version of Magritte's iconic motif: a castle perched atop a massive rock suspended in the sky. The work will remain on view for several months while specialists complete the careful restoration of the larger oil painting.
How the Damage Occurred
The museum reports that the original 1959 oil suffered a small tear roughly two months ago after a five-year-old visitor pushed a pinecone toward the canvas. Museum staff immediately activated emergency procedures for damaged artworks and moved the painting to the conservation laboratory for treatment.
People watch dancers from Vertigo Dance Company perform during a modern dance event at the Modern Art Gallery at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, December 23, 2025. (credit: FLASH90)
Restoration Process
Conservators are stabilizing the canvas, painstakingly reconnecting torn fibres under a microscope and restoring paint layers using accepted conservation materials and techniques. The work is being carried out in the museum's open conservation laboratory so visitors can observe the delicate processes usually performed behind closed doors.
The 1959 oil is regarded as one of Magritte's masterpieces and a highlight of the Israel Museum's modern art collection. It was donated to the museum in 1985 by Jewish lawyer and collector Harry Torczyner, a close friend of Magritte who commissioned and purchased the painting directly from the artist. From its completion until its arrival in Israel, the oil hung in Torczyner's New York office.
The temporarily lent 1962 gouache was previously shown at the Israel Museum in the 2022 exhibition Floating with Magritte: In the Footsteps of The Castle of the Pyrenees.
“The generous gesture allows our visitors to encounter one of the most important artists of the 20th century while his iconic original work receives comprehensive treatment and will soon return to display,” said Israel Museum director Prof. Yasha Jacob Grobman.
Once conservators complete the treatment, the restored oil painting is expected to return to its permanent place in the museum's galleries.
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