The artwork “Illustration to ‘A Week of Kindness'” by Max Ernst, created in 1934 in Paris, France, exemplifies the Surrealism movement. This collage on paper measures 18 x 13 cm and is part of the illustration genre within the series “A Week of Kindness.” Currently, the artwork is housed at Staatsgalerie Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany.
The artwork features a monochromatic depiction of a somber interior scene. At its center, a woman kneels on the floor, her gaze directed downward, surrounded by ornate furniture. To her left, a small winged creature with a dragon-like appearance adds an element of the fantastical. The environment is further accentuated by the presence of three men, two of whom are in conversation or movement in the background, while the third stands before a mantelpiece, his back to the viewer. A framed picture on the wall to the left captures a man in a pose of sorrow or contemplation, his head resting on his arms. The fusion of ordinary and extraordinary elements in this piece is characteristic of Ernst’s surrealist style, inviting contemplation of the underlying narrative and emotions conveyed through the collage.
