Max Ernst
Brühl, Germany 1891 – Paris, France 1976
German painter, sculptor, and art theorist, initially a pioneer of the Dada movement and later one of the leading figures of Surrealism. His works are inspired by the interpretation of the unconscious, creating hallucinatory imagery, surreal landscapes, and human figures with bird-like features. To create his art, he reinvented several techniques, including collage, frottage, grattage, and decalcomania. During World War I, he was labeled a “degenerate artist,” belonging to art that did not reflect the values or aesthetics of the Nazi ideology. He spent a period in America experimenting with new expressive forms and creating significant sculptures. Upon returning to Europe, he won the first prize at the Venice Biennale in 1954.
Works on display:
- Chess set reproduction, wood, 1944