Kunstwerk des Monats:
Max Ernst, De but en blanc, 1959
Video
A red field, a grey horizon, and three forms that seem to hover between reality and imagination.
The enigmatic work "De but en blanc" was painted by Max Ernst in 1959. At first glance, it’s simple: a deep red field, a narrow grey band along the top, and three floating forms in the center. Two are pale, almost white, and one glows in vivid orange. Ernst called them “shell-flowers” (fleurs coquillages) — shapes created with a palette knife, part painting, part sculpture. The surface feels both controlled and spontaneous. The flowers seem to hover, uncertain whether they’re blooming or dissolving. The title means “out of the blue” — something sudden, unexpected. That’s how Ernst worked: allowing chance, texture, and gesture to guide what appears. As a founder of Dada and a pioneer of Surrealism, Ernst invites us not to search for meaning, but simply to look — to let the image unfold on its own.
We warmly invite you to experience this work in person at our gallery.
