The artwork titled “Illustration to A Week of Kindness” by Max Ernst was created in 1934 in Paris, France. This collage on paper measures 18 x 13 cm and belongs to the Surrealism movement. It is an illustration from the series “A Week of Kindness” and is housed at the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany.
The artwork depicts a surreal and somewhat unsettling scene set in an interior space. To the left, a woman is depicted kneeling on the floor, seemingly engaged in a sorrowful or contemplative act, as a small, fantastical creature with wings stands before her. Behind her, the wall displays a framed portrait of a man in a despairing pose, his head resting on his arms. In the center, a man stands at a mantle, with another figure partially visible entering the room. The intricacy and peculiarity of the elements within this piece exemplify the surreal and dreamlike qualities typical of Max Ernst’s work, engaging the viewer in a narrative that invites myriad interpretations.
