“Illustration to ‘A Week of Kindness'” by Max Ernst is a collage on paper created in 1934 in Paris, France. This piece, representative of the Surrealism movement, measures 18 x 13 cm and is part of the illustration genre. It belongs to the series “A Week of Kindness” and is currently housed at the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany.
The artwork depicts a surreal and intriguing scene set in an elegant room decorated with ornate furnishings, including two chairs and a table beneath a painting. In the background, the painting within the artwork portrays a man seemingly distraught, his head resting on his arms. In the room, a kneeling woman appears to be engaged in some sort of distressing activity, while a figure behind her looks on. To the right, two men, dressed in period attire, move away, one bending forward as if picking something up. A peculiar and unsettling element enters the scene in the form of small dragons or fantastical creatures interacting with the kneeling woman. The overall ambiance of the artwork conjures a sense of mystery and discomfort, characteristic of Ernst’s surrealist approach.
