Belgian notes pre euro 01c - series 1994

Third note in the last set of Belgian banknotes is a 500 Belgian francs note.

500 BEF

René Magritte, born in Lessines (Belgium) on November 21, 1898, is one of the leading representatives of surrealism.
In his work, Magritte paints almost photorealistic, but combines objects in an unsual context, objects become subject of a metamorphosis, or parts of objects are represented as the full object (tree in the shape of a tree for example).
In several works,fishes or a nude or blindfolded woman appears; this refers to the fact that the young Magritte found his mother in the the Sambre river, after she comitted suicide.

In many of his works, Magritte leaves the viewer behind, wondering what (s)he sees is real or not.
He often defies laws of gravity or nature in his works (day and night at the same time) ...

500 Belgian francs - René Magritte

On the front side of the sky-blue 500 francs note, we see a young Magritte with a bowler hatted shadow (refering to he surrealism), and a leaf in a tree shape (or is it the other way around?)On the reverse side we find more men in a rain coat and with a bowler hat.

500 Belgian francs reverse side

Among the many security features on the note, (see previous posts), one new feature is added from this value on. The "500" on the reverse side of the note switches colour from blue over green to pink when viewed from different angles. 

colour shifting security print

One of the most famous painting of a pipe, and the text "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" ("This is not a pipe"), calls us, viewers, to think twice. We see a pipe, but it isn't a pipe. It's a painting of a pipe.

So, in this article,  you might have seen a banknote, but it wasn't a banknote.

Magritte in front of his painting

Magritte died in 1967 near Brussels where he is burried.
The 500 franc note is one of the more difficult  notes to find. Face value is € 12.40 euro.
Good copies sell from € 20 onwards - UNC notes from € 30 onwards.

to be continued ...