Max Ernst and Alchemy : A Magician in Search of Myth (Surrealist

Surrealist Revolution

by M.E. Warlick, Franklin Rosemont (Foreword by)

Surrealist artist Max Ernst defined collage as the "alchemy of the visual image." Students of his work have often dismissed this comment as simply a metaphor for the transformative power of using found images in a new context. Taking a wholly different perspective on Ernst and alchemy, however, M. E. Warlick persuasively demonstrates that the artist had a profound and abiding interest in alchemical philosophy and often used alchemical symbolism in works created throughout his career. A revival of interest in alchemy swept the artistic, psychoanalytic, historical, and scientific circles of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and Warlick sets Ernst's work squarely within this movement. Looking at both his art (many of the works she discusses are reproduced in the book) and his writings, she reveals how thoroughly alchemical philosophy and symbolism pervade his early Dadaist experiments, his foundational work in surrealism, and his many collages and paintings of women and landscapes, whose images exemplify the alchemical fusing of opposites. This pioneering research adds an essential key to understanding the multilayered complexity of Ernst's works, as it affirms his standing as one of Germany's most significant artists of the twentieth century.

Genres: Art, Alchemy, Nonfiction, Esoterica, Philosophy, Art History

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2001

Reviews

[Astral · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for any student or practitioner of the fine art of magic. This book breaks it down, what is the true meaning of what a practice of art is. Ernst had a very intense approach to his work , he lived and breathed alchemy & magic. This book dropped me straight inyto his magical workings and when i stepped back out , i could still feel Ernst creeping around in my head.

[Marcus Dei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Educational and inspirational discourse that charts the creative process of Max Ernst and the Surrealists vis-a-vis the creative spark from Alchemy and other hermetic wisdom. Not only does it trace Max Ernst's life and work, but it also provides a good background on alchemy via reference to Herbert Silberer. However one miss is the author just glances over the alchemical axiom of Solve and Coagula near the end. While the androgynous union of the male and female is prevalent in the individual works of Ernst, the Solve and Coagula axiom is representative of what Dada and Surrealism were seeking to accomplish as a whole. Ernst and his fellow artists were seeking to tear down the past art movements and society in general, which was on the wrong path as exemplified by two wars and transform that creative energy into a new vision and society.

[Aleksander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting a more philosophical exploration, but instead, it became an analysis focused heavily on the art of Breton and Ernst. The constant references to specific painting titles made it feel like a chore to read, and I ended up stopping halfway through.

Additionally, I find the connection made between Freud and Hermeticism to be quite inauthentic. The Hermetic god represents creation, not desire, and while I understand the desire to explore the human psyche, it's an important distinction to keep in mind. It feels as though they appropriated Hermeticism and alchemy to fit their narrative, and that undermines its true meaning.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this well-written book. Many of the concepts were new to me but the writing and thorough research made the content accessible and riveting! I was not able to put the (Kindle) down.

[S Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surrealism is the movement I relate most to - and as an artist, I feel very similarly to the way Ernst does: art is magical. I love his work and that of his lover, Leonora Carrington (who is also an amazing surrealist writer).

Inspirational for artists and the alchemical-minded. I need to re-read this - I wolfed it down a couple years ago.

[Leftjab · Rating 4 out of 5]

For serious Ernst fans and students of alchemy only. Largely over my head, but still pretty fascinating. Probably better as a reference book than a straight read - dense.