Max Ernst biography

Max Ernst, born in Brühl on April 2, 1891, and died in Paris on April 1, 1976, is a famous German artist, naturalized French, considered one of the leading figures of surrealism. Son of the teacher for the deaf-mute Philipp Ernst, Max Ernst approached art from a young age. In 1909, he enrolled at the University of Bonn to study philosophy, psychology, and the art of the alienated, but soon devoted himself entirely to art.
In 1912, Max Ernst founded the group "Das Junge Rheinland" with August Macke, exhibiting for the first time in Cologne. Two years later, he met Hans Arp, starting a long friendship. During World War I, despite military service, he managed to continue painting, exhibiting at the "Der Sturm" gallery.
In 1918, he married Luise Strauss and discovered the artwork of Giorgio de Chirico, which deeply inspired him. He founded the dada group W/3 West Stupidia and organized the first Dada exhibition in Cologne. In 1920, during his second trip to Paris, he was appreciated by critics and began collaborating with surrealism figures such as André Breton and Paul Éluard.
Max Ernst is known for having invented semi-automatic techniques such as frottage, grattage, and oscillation. Some examples of these techniques include "Histoire naturelle" (1926) for frottage, "Bird Wedding" (1925) and "The Whole City" (1935/36) for grattage, and "Il pianeta confuso" (1942) for oscillation. He also explored collage and decalcomania, producing significant artworks such as "La femme 100 têtes" (1929) and "Une semaine de bonté" (1934).
With the rise of Nazism, Max Ernst was labeled a degenerate artist and was arrested by the French in 1939. He fled to the United States in 1941, where he married Peggy Guggenheim and, later, the painter Dorothea Tanning. During his stay in America, he experimented with new expressive forms and created important sculptures.
Max Ernst returned to Europe in 1953 and in 1954 won the first prize at the Venice Biennale. He died in Paris in 1976, leaving an invaluable artistic legacy that reflects his constant research and experimentation. His artworks, characterized by innovative techniques and surreal themes, continue to influence contemporary art.