Currently not on view

Un ami empressé,

1944, cast 1957

Max Ernst, German, 1891–1976
2004-53
Shortly before he moved to Sedona, Arizona, in 1946, Ernst began collecting Hopi kachinas, carved dolls that represent spiritual messengers. Fascinated by their design, in which the bodies are sometimes constructed from geometric shapes, he drew connections between the dolls and Surrealism’s interest in the distortion and abstraction of bodily forms. Here Ernst created a double figure: what at first appears to be a tail reveals itself to be a second creature that comes into view when the sculpture is observed from a different angle.

More Context

Special Exhibition

Information

Title
Un ami empressé
Dates

1944, cast 1957

Maker
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
66.8 x 35.5 x 40.0 cm (26 5/16 x 14 x 15 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Sylvia and Joseph Slifka in honor of Frederick R. and Jan Perry Mayer
Object Number
2004-53
Culture
Type
Materials