Max Ernst

German painter, sculptor, graphic artist, and poet, 1891-1976

"A prolific artist, Ernst was a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and Surrealism. Constantly experimenting, in 1925 Ernst invented a graphic art technique called ""frottage"", which uses pencil rubbings of objects as a source of images. He also created the ""grattage"" technique, in which paint is scraped across canvas to reveal the imprints of the objects placed beneath. Along with other artists and friends (Marcel Duchamp and Marc Chagall) who had fled from the war and lived in New York City, Ernst helped inspire the development of Abstract expressionism."

Source: Wikipedia

Ernst, Max

Maler, Graphiker und Bildhauer (1891–1976). Collection of partly autograph documents and other material. Verschiedene Orte. Zusammen 47 Bll. Verschiedene Formate.
$ 13,371 / 12.500 € (25372)

Most of the material relates to the sale of Ernst’s residency at Saint-Martin d’Ardèche in Southern France, where Ernst and Leonora Carrington (the British-born Mexican surrealist painter and novelist whom he had met in 1937) had lived from 1938 to 1941. The interior that both had created for their house was widely renowned as a masterpiece of materialized surrealist imagination (cf. Spies/Metken IV, p. VI). Due to the stress of circumstances (Ernst fled from German-occupied Europe in 1941), the sale was somewhat hasty, and the house was left as well as its whole inventory and decoration (cf.

catalogue of works, Spies/Metken, nos. 2304 ff.). – The present collection comprises letters from Ernst’s lawyer, inventories, a letter from Ernst wherein he cancels the electricity supply, a letter from the essayist Leon Kochnitzky (1892–1965) to Ernst, alarming him that the Germans had sequestrated three of his works at his Paris residency, 2 autogr. envelops, various letters and newspaper clippings, a photography, etc..

buy now

Ernst, Max

Maler (1891-1976). Autograph letter signed, illustrated with 2 small drawings. Sellains. 1 p. 4to. Mit gedr. Briefkopf „83 - Seillans“.
$ 2,353 / 2.200 € (80443)

In this letter Max Ernst writes: „Merci, cher Makario ! de votre oeuvre ! accomplie ! merci !“ ("Thank you, dear Makario! for your work! accomplished! thank you!" With two small drawings typical for Max Ernst’s work. With the signature „Max et Dorothea Ernst“. The letter was written by Max Ernst geschrieben who also signed in place of Dorothea Tanning Max Ernst was a German-born prolific artist, who was a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and surrealism. He had no formal artistic training, but his experimental attitude toward the making of art resulted in his invention of frottage—a technique that uses pencil rubbings of objects as a source of images—and grattage, an analogous technique in which paint is scraped across canvas to reveal the imprints of the objects placed beneath.

He is also noted for his novels consisting of collages. The letter is possibly addressed to Macarion Vitalis (1898-1989). He is considered one of the most important Filipino artists of the 20th century. Vitalis moved to Paris in the mid-1920 where he met Picasso, and other important modern painters. Vitalis is noted for his post-impressionist and cubist style of painting. Seillans is a commune in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. n the late Sixties and early Seventies Max Ernst and Dorothea Tanning made Seillans their home..

buy now

Ernst, Max

Maler (1891-1976). Autograph inscription signed. In: Patrick Waldberg: Max Ernst. (Paris). 443, (5) SS. 4to. Leinen mit blindgepr. Rücken- und Deckeltitel.
$ 6,953 / 6.500 € (33317/BN28340)

"À René Margritte. Prince san rire. / son ami / Max Ernst". With another inscription signed by the author Patrick Waldberg.

buy now

Ernst, Max

painter, sculptor and graphic artist (1891–1976). 1 autograph letter signed and 1 typed letter signed. 4to. 2 pp. Enclosed is one handwritten envelope.
$ 2,674 / 2.500 € (83299)

To Jean Leymarie of the Musée National d’Art Moderne in Paris. 1.6.1969 (ALS with signature „Max Ernst“): Autograph letter to Monsieur Jean Leymarie of the Musée National d’Art Moderne: „[…] Vous me faites grand plaisir de consentir à preter ‚Capricorne‘ pour Stockholm et Amsterdam et je vous remercie. Voici en „change de bons procédés“ le No. de ma retraite: le 41 à Seillans. Je vous prie de recommander aux emballeurs de prendre bons soins du con de Mme Capricorne. […]“ Max Ernst agrees to send his painting Capricorn to Amsterdam and to Stockholm.

He asks the packers to take good care of Mrs. Capricorn as she is very fragile. Capricorn was Max Ernst’s sculptural masterpiece, which he finished while living in Sedona, Arizona, where he lived with his wife Dorothea Tanning (1910-2012) from 1946 till 1953. They built the small, secluded house in the desert that they called Capricorn Hill. The plastic Capricorn came about when they got electricity and running water a year after they moved there. The concrete mixer they purchased was not only used to build houses. Max Ernst came into contact with the indigenous people, the Hopi, and studied their art. He was particularly interested in the kachina dolls and the ceremonial masks. He created a larger-than-life cement sculpture in 1948, inspired by folk art. When Chagall moved back to Europe in 1953 he took a copy of his work, which was the base for Capricorn. 8.3.1971 (typed letter with signature „Max Ernst“): […] J’étais enchanté de l’avant-propos que vous avez fait pour l’Orangerie. Je vous verrai surement dans cet endroit aux environs du 2 avril. Je me réjouis d’avance, de vous remercier de vive voix. […]“ Max Ernst writes that he was delighted with Jean Leymarie’s foreword for the Orangerie, he is looking forward seeing him in April to thank him in person. A retrospective of 104 works spanning the years 1920–1968, drawn entirely from the Menil Collection, toured Europe from 1970 to 1972 and also were shown at Musée de l'Orangerie. The opening of the exhibition in Paris was augmented with 44 pieces from various collations and opened on 2 April 1971, Max Ernst's 80th birthday..

buy now