MAX ERNST German, 1891-1976

Max Ernst (1891–1976) is regarded as one of the defining figures of modern art and as one of the leading representatives of Dada and Surrealism. From the 1920s onwards, he developed a highly distinctive visual language that united dreams, mythology, and the unconscious with innovative artistic techniques. Through processes such as frottage, grattage, and decalcomania, Ernst expanded the possibilities of painting, creating works of remarkable poetic and imaginative power. In addition to painting, Max Ernst's oeuvre encompasses sculpture, collage, drawing, printmaking, and illustrated books. His works combine experimental approaches to form with a richly layered symbolic vocabulary and occupy a distinguished place within twentieth-century art. Works by Max Ernst are held in major international museum and private collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Tate, London, and the Centre Pompidou, Paris. Through his work, Max Ernst made a decisive contribution to the development of Surrealism and modern art.