« Un peu de l'âme des bandits » is the result of an inspiration which occured at the end of the research necessi-tated by the problem of the violin: as always, from the beginning of the research, the solution was contained in the first drawing (which included a 'knot'), I had to discover what it indicated: the white knot of a formal collar. The first image is 'good' and would be worth painting, even though it is not an answer to the problem (René Magritte to André Bosmans - letter dated July 19th, 1960).
A page of sketches, appear to illustrate the progression of Magritte's search for the solution to the "problem" of the violin. The numbering of the sketches suggests that they may have been done later, in order to demonstrate the method that had led to the discovery.
The title "Un peu de l'âme des bandits" is the title of a book written in 1913 by Emile Michon about the gang of thieves known as the 'Bande à Bonnot' after their leader, Jules Bonnot.
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