The artwork titled “Illustration to ‘A Week of Kindness'” was created by the artist Max Ernst in 1934 in Paris, France. This piece is part of a series by the same name and embodies the medium of collage on paper, typical of the surrealist movement. It is relatively small in scale, with dimensions of 18 x 13 cm, and belongs to the genre of illustration. Currently, the artwork is housed at the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany.
This collage presents a black and white scene featuring several individuals in what appears to be a domestic interior. A central female figure is positioned kneeling on the floor, with some small objects scattered around her which she seems to be collecting or examining. A cat is located near the woman, contributing to the domestic ambiance. To her right stands a man who is bent over, engaging with the woman, perhaps in conversation or observation. Behind them are two male figures who appear to be engaged in their own interaction, with one man whispering into the other’s ear—a classical representation of secrecy or shared knowledge. On the walls of this room are framed artworks, yet these contain elements that are not typically found in domestic portraiture, perhaps adding an unnerving or ironic dimension to the scene in line with surrealist interests. The aesthetic is reminiscent of engravings from an earlier period, which Ernst has appropriated and recontextualized to create new, provocative meanings. This style of splicing together seemingly incongruent elements to create an uncanny or dream-like effect is characteristic of Ernst’s approach to surrealism and his interest in revealing the subconscious and the marvellous in the mundane.
