Attempting the impossible

As a previous entry on art may have made clear (if in a slightly back-handed way), I am a tremendous fan of Magritte's. Knowing this, my wife bought for me last Christmas a Magritte monthly calendar, which I decided to take in to my office. (After all, there is probably no better person than a researcher stuck on a problem to understand the true meaning of la durée poignardée.) This venture has gone swimmingly -- up until this month; for, as it happens, the picture for September is Attempting the impossible: Now, although this picture does not move me as does the aforementioned La durée poignardée -- which is August's picture -- or L'homme au journal, another favourite, it happens that I do like it very much. However, it seems that the delicate cautionary measures in which I, and all other teachers, habitually engage -- such as, say, always leaving the door at least slightly open when one meets with a student -- would be rendered a bit irrelevant if they were supplemented by my tacking up at my wall something which, to a casual viewer's quick glance, probably looks first and foremost like a bit of pin-up. Well, as I've mentioned, I like August's picture, so I don't mind waiting until October to switch the page.