Woman, Old Man, and Flower (Weib, Greis und Blume) is a pivotal oil on canvas painting created by Max Ernst, dated 1923. This work exemplifies the artist's critical transition from the chaotic spontaneity of Dada toward the psychologically charged imagery of early Surrealism. The composition presents three distinct, unsettling elements: two disproportionate human figures and a seemingly oversized, isolated flower set against an ambiguous, shallow background.
The "Woman" and the "Old Man" figures are rendered with Ernst’s characteristic blend of precision and distortion. Their bodies appear segmented or incomplete, creating a disquieting sense of alienation and internal struggle. The intensity of their interaction, though visually static, hints at deep psychological narratives often absent in his earlier, more abstract collages. The central placement of the flower, rendered in contrasting detail, acts as both a formal focal point and a mysterious symbol of fragility, life, or decay within this oppressive scene.
Ernst executed this significant piece during a formative period in modern art, working on the painting in Paris in 1923 and finalizing it in Eaubonne in 1924. This temporal designation places the work immediately prior to the formal organization of the Surrealist group in the French capital. The painting reflects Ernst's growing fascination with subconscious archetypes and the use of figuration to unlock hidden meaning. The mastery demonstrated in the application of oil paint allows for subtle shifts in texture and color, enhancing the work’s dream-like, yet precisely articulated, atmosphere.
Today, this key work in Ernst's oeuvre resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, where it serves as a central reference point for studying the emergence of French Surrealism. Art historians frequently analyze the painting for its innovative approach to composition and its use of evocative, almost cryptographic, subject matter. High-quality prints and reproductions allow widespread study of this early modernist achievement.
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