ARTWORKS

The Wood

Max Ernst (1891–1976)

National Museum Wales, National Museum Cardiff

The Wood

© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2023. Image credit: Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales

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Ernst was haunted by the atmosphere of forests and by the birds which inhabit them. Here, the herring-bone effect of the trees and the grainy sky reveal his technique of grattage. Layers of paint were applied to the canvas, which was pressed against a sheet of stamped metal and a rough plank and scraped. Born near Cologne, Ernst studied philosophy before becoming a leading Surrealist in Paris. This work was given to the Contemporary Art Society by Miss A. F. Brown in 1940.

National Museum Wales, National Museum Cardiff

Read more on National Museum Wales, National Museum Cardiff
Title

The Wood

Date

1927

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

H 60.5 x W 81.5 cm

Accession number

NMW A 503

Acquisition method

gift from the Contemporary Art Society, 1991

Work type

Painting

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National Museum Wales, National Museum Cardiff

Cathays Park, Cardiff (Caerdydd) CF10 3NP Wales

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Artist or maker

Max Ernst

1891–1976

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