In 1926, Magritte produced his first surreal painting, The Lost Jockey (Le jockey perdu), and held his first exhibition in Brussels in 1927. Critics heaped abuse on the exhibition. Depressed by the failure, he moved to Paris where he became friends with André Breton, and became involved in the surrealist group.
The illusionsitic, dream-like quality is characteristic of Magritte's version of Surrealism. He became a leading member of the movement after leaving his native Beligium in 1927 for Paris, where he stayed for three years.
