The artwork in question is an illustration by Max Ernst, created in 1934, Paris, France. This piece is a collage on paper and belongs to the Surrealism art movement. Measuring 18 x 13 cm, it was produced for his series “A Week of Kindness” and is currently housed at the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany. The genre of the work is classified as an illustration.
The artwork presents a black-and-white collage that imbues a dream-like, eerie quality often associated with Surrealism. In the illustration, a group of individuals is rendered in a domestic interior. A woman, seated on the floor, appears to engage attentively with a small creature beside her, possibly a cat. In the background, men are depicted in various states of activity, including one who is seemingly merged with a piece of furniture, blurring the line between the animate and inanimate. The walls are adorned with discernible artworks, further contributing to the setting’s domestic authenticity. The precise, almost engraved quality of the lines and the meticulous attention to lighting and shadow contribute to a sense of depth and realism, set in stark contrast to the surreal and possibly unnerving composition of the figures within the scene. Ernst’s work exemplifies the surrealist affinity for juxtaposing the ordinary with the bizarre, challenging the viewer’s perceptions and evoking a dialogue between the unconscious and the conscious realms.
