Max Ernst in Paris: Surrealist experimentation

The Bilbao Museoa has received an exceptional set of 54 works by Max Ernst (Brühl, 1891 - Paris, 1976), one of the most influential figures of the surrealist movement. This set, which will be on deposit for five years, includes a combination of 14 paintings, 6 drawings and 34 phototypes that form part of the famous Histoire naturelle folder. These pieces, dated between 1922 and 1928, correspond to a period of great creative experimentation for the artist, who was initially influenced by Dadaism and which, subsequently, evolved towards a more transgressive and unique proposal typical of surrealism.

The works come from a private collection of Spanish origin based in London, which was inherited by its current owner, grandson of the prestigious English gallerist Aram Mouradian (Southport, 1892-Paris, 1974). They are the works that he bought directly from the artist and also from third parties, and which he kept for himself, and they give a good idea of both his predilection for Ernst and the artist's multiple interests.

Les mains aux oiseaux, Max Ernst (1925). Col·lecció particular

The exhibition, which will be open to the public until June 30, is curated by Miriam Alzuri Milanés , curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Museum. The show highlights not only the artist's technical innovation, but also the creative singularity that characterized him during this period. Among the works on display are paintings such as Cage et oiseaux, Les Mains aux oiseaux and Forêt et soleil bleu, as well as drawings such as La Belle jardinière and Deux enfants dans une chambre percée, which demonstrate his ability to combine subconscious influences with unprecedented shapes and textures.

This exhibition offers an opportunity to discover the creative process of Max Ernst, combining emblematic works and lesser-known pieces that reveal his early steps as a painter. Through innovative techniques such as frottage, grattage and calcomania, he transformed his inner reality, introducing them to the surrealist movement and leaving a mark on 20th-century art. The exhibition also delves into the social and cultural context of the time, allowing a better understanding of the artist's influence on modern art and the trends in contemporary art that continued to evolve in the following decades.

Les éclairs au-dessous de quatorze ans, Max Ernst (1925). Col·lecció particular