“Illustration to “A Week of Kindness”” by Max Ernst, created in 1934 in Paris, France, is a Surrealist collage made with paper. Measuring 18 x 13 cm, this illustration is a part of the series titled “A Week of Kindness” and is housed at the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany.
The artwork presents an enigmatic and surreal scene typical of Max Ernst’s style. Executed with meticulous detail, the collage combines elements from different contexts, creating an intriguing and thought-provoking visual narrative. The central figures appear in a Victorian setting, captured in postures that suggest a somber or contemplative moment. A woman, dressed in an ornate gown, kneels on the floor, her attention seemingly directed at peculiar, fantastical creatures resembling miniature dragons. Adjoining her, a man stands near a mantle, while two other men are engaged in hushed conversation nearby. The juxtaposition of these figures with the surreal elements, such as the human figure framed as part of the interior décor, elicits a palpable sense of mystery and dream-like ambiguity, characteristic of Surrealism.
