As I made my way throughout the 5th floor of the Museum of Modern Art, this piece instantly caught my attention. There were a few people standing around it taking pictures, but for some reason as soon as I made my way to it more and more began to pile up behind me. Maybe it was the group mentality of a crowd, seeing others flock to something so that something automatically becomes interested. The Menaced Assassin by Rene Magritte tells a pretty interesting tale for a photo. A dead, naked woman lies on a bed. A man inspects a phonograph with the corpse just beside him. He seems very nonchalant so he must be trained at killing. Three men look into the room from the outside, while two men prepare to capture the assassin just beyond the room’s walls.

A variety of questions entered my mind as my eyes gazed upon the canvas. Were the woman and the assassin lovers, seeing as how she is naked in bed and he has his coat off? Did the three peering men hire the assassin, or simply hear the commotion of the act? How did the two men in bowler hats know that this assassination would be taking place? As the title mentions, does the assassin feel any regret towards his actions here and his career in general? The picture is relatively simple in its makeup, with detailed attention being payed to shadows and the walls and floorboards. The facial characteristics of all seven individuals are also very detailed. The painting tells a story the same way a thrilling detective novel would, but here using just one still image. Magritte’s power to not just enthrall the eyes but the mind as well is a true gift.