The Elephant Celebes – Max Ernst
The scene looks like an art studio, invaded by industrialization. The nude sculpture is pushed out of place by the massive black creature that dominates the frame. This Greek influence seems to suggest a commentary on the aging and outdated classical beauty that the surrealists are displacing. This painting reminds me of a Dr. Seuss story page. The sky seems filled with smog, or perhaps a floating ocean? The upper edge of the painting is so mysterious–I read that there are two fish in the corner that seem to replace the birds, a very surrealist defiance of convention.
I know that the historical arguments on the art mentions African and anthropological influences and I wonder how transparent these allusions could have been to contemporary audiences.