Aquis Submersus
Aquis Submersus | |
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Artist | Max Ernst |
Year | 1919 |
Medium | Oil on canvas |
Dimensions | 54 cm × 43.8 cm (21.26 in × 17.24 in) |
Location | Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, Frankfurt |
Aquis Submersus (Latin for Drowned in the Waters) is a painting by the German dadaist and surrealist Max Ernst created in 1919. Influenced by the Italian metaphysical art it is one of Ernst's earliest works showing surrealistic accents.[1] It currently resides at the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, Germany.[1]
The painting depicts a swimming pool surrounded by buildings. The sense of dimension is unclear. The features of the buildings appear to be hand-drawn. The buildings leave shadows against the sky like a wall. Hanging in the sky is a clock that reflects on the water as a moon. In the pool, the picture shows a possibly female or childish body in an upside-down position with only the waist and legs above the water level. The person appears to be diving or is drowning. In the foreground is an armless statue-like figure that appears to have been made out of clay, throwing a shadow in the direction of the pool, similar to another shadow originating from outside the picture. The person looks away from the pool and bears a handlebar mustache resembling that of Ernst's father, but also has features which could be interpreted as female.
The painting carries the same name as a famous novella Aquis submersus [de] by Theodor Storm, published in 1876, which influenced Ernst creating his painting.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Ernst, Max (25 December 1909). "Aquis submersus". Digitale Sammlung (in German). Retrieved 12 January 2023.
Sources
- The Guardian – Analysis of Pietà or Revolution by Night that describes Ernst's father.
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- Aquis Submersus (1919)
- Trophy, Hypertrophied (1919)
- Little Machine Constructed by Minimax Dadamax in Person (1919-20)
- Murdering Airplane (1920)
- The Hat Makes the Man (1920)
- The Elephant Celebes (1921)
- Of This Men Shall Know Nothing (1923)
- Pietà or Revolution by Night (1923)
- Forest and Dove (1927)
- The Wood (1927)
- The Barbarians (1937)
- Napoleon in the Wilderness (1941)
- The Eye of Silence (c. 1943-44)
- The Temptation of Saint Anthony (1945)
- Frottage
- Grattage
- Loplop
- Une semaine de bonté (1934)
- Leonora Carrington (partner)
- Peggy Guggenheim (third wife)
- Dorothea Tanning (fourth wife)
- Jimmy Ernst (son)
- Portrait of Max Ernst (c. 1939 painting)
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