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Max
Ernst

Max Ernst revolutionised Surrealism with his grattage and frottage techniques, creating impactful, dreamlike artworks that explored the subconscious. If you’re looking for Max Ernst original prints and editions for sale or would like to sell, request a complimentary valuation and browse our network’s most in-demand works.

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Biography

Born in 1891 in Germany, Max Ernst rose as a seminal figure in the Dada and Surrealist movements, with his practice largely influenced by his exposure to philosophy and psychology at the University of Bonn. Ernst's journey into the art world gained momentum in the 1910s, marked by his involvement with Dadaism, a movement born out of the disillusionment with the horrors of World War I.

Ernst's work is renowned for its inventive techniques and dreamlike quality, which became hallmarks of his contributions to Surrealism. He experimented with various unique methods, including frottage (rubbing), grattage (scraping), and decalcomania (pressing paint between two surfaces). These techniques allowed him to create textured, otherworldly landscapes and figures that challenged the conventional boundaries of visual representation.

A defining early experience was Ernst’s involvement in the Cologne Dada group, where he formed connections with other avant-garde artists, setting the stage for a lifetime of collaboration and experimentation. His move to Paris in the 1920s was a critical milestone as he became more involved in the Surrealist movement, working with artists like André Breton and Salvador Dalí.

One of Ernst's most significant contributions was his development of the frottage technique, which he introduced in his 1925 book Histoire Naturelle. This method, involving pencil rubbings of textured objects, was revolutionary, influencing not just Surrealists but also future art movements. His 1936 inclusion in the Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York marked a turning point, introducing his groundbreaking work to a broader international audience. Ernst's impact was further solidified through major exhibitions, such as his first solo show in Paris and his retrospective at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York in the 1960s.

A bronze sculpture of a stylised humanoid ‘King’ figure with angular arms akimbo and a rectangular head topped with curved horn-like shapes. The figure stands on a rectangular base, accompanied by a smaller ‘Queen’ chess piece and other abstract geometric pieces.

Le Roi Jouant Avec La Reine © Max Ernst 1944

1. £18.5M for Max Ernst's Le Roi Jouant Avec La Reine

Ernst's current auction record was set at Christie's New York in November 2022 by the bronze sculpture Le Roi Jouant Avec La Reine (1944), when it achieved almost 200% of its high estimate. The sculpture had previously sold for £10.8million in 2017 - a dramatic price increase over five years - demonstrating the rapidly escalating value of Ernst’s work. The title of the work translates as “The King Playing With The Queen,” referring to the horned king figure looming over a conical queen and a group of other chess pieces. Ernst created the sculpture while in exile in the US during World War II, and channels this sense of foreboding and displacement - Ernst had previously used chess piece sculptures to symbolise power dynamics and strategy. However, despite the overarching uncertainty and danger of the time, 1944 was an incredibly productive year for Ernst, with many other popular works created.

A surreal landscape painting featuring humanoid figures entwined with organic, textured forms resembling foliage and coral. The scene includes a vast sky, a body of water, and a long pathway with scattered figures, creating a dreamlike, otherworldly atmosphere.

The Stolen Mirror © Max Ernst 1941

2. £9.0M for Max Ernst's The Stolen Mirror

The Stolen Mirror (1941), created at the height of Ernst's creative powers, achieved more than double its high estimate at Christie's New York in November 2011. The work later resold for £6.75million in 2016, demonstrating the market's occasional volatility even for major pieces. This large-scale painting, at 65 x 81cm, exemplifies Ernst's mature Surrealist style, combining precise technical execution with dreamlike imagery. Its subjects are at once recognisable and unrecognisable, with patterns and shapes from nature transformed into an otherworldly scene - an effect that is in part due to Ernst’s pioneering use of decalcomania, which involved pressing paint between two surfaces. At the time of its creation, between 1940 and 1941, Ernst was focused on developing a series of landscape-and-figure compositions.

A surreal portrait of a figure with elongated, green arms and clasped hands. The figure wears a textured, patterned coat and a red hat partially covering its abstract, faceless head. The background features a mix of muted and dark tones.

Le Couple (L'Accolade) © Max Ernst 1925

3. £5.2M for Max Ernst's Le Couple (L'Accolade)

Selling at Christie's New York in May 2015, Le Couple (L'Accolade) (1925) represents one of Ernst's most compelling explorations of human relationships through his Surrealist lens. Created during the early years of Surrealism, the painting showcases Ernst's evolution from Dada to his more mature style, with unconventional depictions of the human form and collage-like applications of paint. Ernst’s move to Paris in 1922 exposed him to the Surrealist movement and kickstarted this evolution of style, as seen in Le Couple’s unexpected juxtapositions of textures and forms. The work's strong performance at auction underscores the value placed on pieces from this pivotal period, when hints of all the evolving styles from Ernst’s career can be read in one painting.

A black-haired pale-skinned woman is pushing her way through a tangled vivid green jungle. Among the winding vines and complex textures are almost-recognisable forms, including skulls, animal faces, and trees.

Leonore In The Morning Light © Max Ernst 1940