Entitled “Untitled (Dada)” and crafted circa 1922 in Cologne, Germany, this artwork is a creation of artist Max Ernst. It is a symbolic painting belonging to the Dada art movement. The medium of the artwork is oil on canvas, with dimensions measuring approximately 43.2 by 31.5 centimeters. The painting is part of the collection at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, Spain.
The artwork portrays a perplexing scene teeming with enigmatic symbolism, adhering to the unconventional and avant-garde spirit of the Dada movement. The focus is on a bald figure seen from behind, engaging with a phonograph whose bell he holds close to his ear; the phonograph emerges from an expansive, dark concentric circle that dominates the background, likely representing a vinyl record. Fragmented and disembodied, another figure appears in the upper right—just a head and arm—listening to a smaller phonograph. Above the main figure’s head, whimsically floating in the air, are two pairs of suspended, flesh-colored appendages resembling body parts. The background is divided by a vertical threshold, juxtaposing the swirling darkness on the left with a brown, seemingly barren landscape on the right. The artwork’s palette combines rich earthy tones with vibrant reds, while the otherworldly composition eschews logical interpretation, inviting the viewer to delve into the subconscious and challenge traditional perceptions of reality and art.
