Max Ernst
Max Ernst (1891-1976) was a German artist during the surrealism movement that was influenced by the Dada movement and Abstractism. The Surrealists were renowned for depicting the psychological truth of the ordinary and used imagery to make dream-like visuals. The movement began in 1920 after the First World War and focused on “the irrational juxtaposition of images.” The work of psychologist Sigmund Freud also inspired this movement since it pushed the limitations of the rational mind.
Max Ernst had begun his career as an art student, studying Art history, psychology, history, and literature. He was fascinated by the art created by the mentally unsound, and later, Paul Cezanne, Vincent Van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso would influence his work.
Ernst would go on to serve in the World War and would be deeply disturbed by what he experienced there. He started to view the world as if it were irrational, and this sentiment seeped through to become his art style that we know him for today. He was a pioneer of the Surrealism movement and would join with many artists from Europe, such as Piet Mondrian, and inspire Abstract Expressionism in the States.
Max Ernst would start making collages in 1919 and later make some sculptures as well.
Max Ernst was one of the most prolific artists of this time. I feel like I relate to his work because of the absurdity of it. He created a new technique, Frottage, which is rubbing a pencil against something to create textures. He influenced art history and many famous artists with his style.
REFERENCES
The Story of Art, Gombrich https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.29158/page/n207/mode/2up
https://www.wikiart.org/en/max-ernst/self-portrait-1909
https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/max-ernst
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Max-Ernst
December 6, 2020 at 7:56 pm
Tina,
As I’ve already commented on Basquiat in your PK (excellent) I’ll concentrate on Max Ernst. Nice post there. Good research and personal thoughts and ideas. With all the artists you’ve covered this term you have made a real connection which is the whole point. Well done on all levels so far.
Jeff