The Little Tear Gland That Says Tic Tac (La Petite fistule lacrimale qui dit tic tac)

The Little Tear Gland That Says Tic Tac (La Petite fistule lacrimale qui dit tic tac) is a highly influential drawing created by Max Ernst in 1920. This work exemplifies the experimental, anti-aesthetic techniques of the early Dada movement, utilizing disparate materials to challenge conventional artistic boundaries. Ernst constructed this piece using gouache, pencil, and ink applied directly onto printed wallpaper that was then mounted onto a board. The incorporation of pre-existing, commercially produced wallpaper as a ground subverts traditional notions of high art and emphasizes the Dadaist preference for the readymade and chance procedures.

Executed during a critical juncture in post-war European modernism, this French drawing reflects Ernst’s deep involvement with the Cologne Dada group. The subject matter presents a disturbing fusion of the mechanical and the biological, characteristic of the era's fascination with industrial forms and fragmented bodies. Ernst often deployed precise, diagrammatic lines mixed with surreal, abstract components to suggest internal, involuntary bodily functions. The title itself focuses on the reduction of human emotion—specifically the function of weeping—to a mechanistic process signaled by the metronomic sound of "tic tac."

This unique mixed media approach, dating precisely to 1920, demonstrates Ernst's early mastery of collage and prefigured many techniques later employed in Surrealism. As a critical reference point for the shift between the two movements, the work’s institutional importance is cemented by its inclusion in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). While the original remains in the museum, the enduring influence of The Little Tear Gland That Says Tic Tac ensures that researchers exploring the period often consult high-quality prints available through various public domain and museum reference channels.