- 39
Max Ernst
Description
- Max Ernst
- Creatures of the swamp
- Signed max ernst and dated 45 (lower right)
- Oil on canvas
- 22 1/8 by 20 1/8 in.
- 56.1 by 51 cm
Provenance
Galleria Galatea, Turin
Francesco Grosso, Turin
Sale: Christie's, London, February 4, 2002, lot 81
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner
Literature
Condition
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
The Surrealists, including Max Ernst, instantly found inspiration in this new process. In Creatures of the Swamp, this technique has resulted in a dreamlike, otherworldly composition dominated by plants and fantastical creatures. The unidentifiable organisms that occupy all corners of the canvas appear to be moving and metamorphosing in front of the viewer, and, like the forest theme of the 1920s, this subject can be interpreted as Ernst’s exploration of the unconscious. The dark, nightmarish tone of the depicted world, lying beyond civilization as we know it, is certainly a reflection of the artist's state of mind at the end of the Second World War, which saw him in exile in the United States at the time this work was executed.