Worksheet: Critiquing Mark Ernst (A favourite of mine)

Spark Your Imagination: Max Ernst

For Max Ernst, art was an adventure. He wanted his pictures to flow freely from his mind without controlling exactly what they would be. He invented all kinds of new ways to make art to inspire his wild imagination. For example, he might press materials onto a wet painting to get different and surprising effects. He also made hundreds of collages by cutting and pasting magazine pictures in strange combinations to tell bizarre stories. In his art, we find imaginary beings, monsters, and fantastic dream scenes.

Look closely at this painting. You will notice many things that are strange. Who might these odd people be? One has a blue body and a long head. The other seems to have a lace face and no hair! The pair seems to be made of scraps of lace that have been cut and pasted together, like a collage. But Ernst actually painted this funny looking couple.

Enter the world of imagination and meet some strange beings…

  • Take a close look at these unusual people. Notice the figure on the left. What is funny about this person? Look at the face. How would you describe it?
  • Look at the other person. What is strange about the body? How would you describe the head? What is this person doing?
  • Do you think these people are men or women? What gives you that idea?
  • Who are these people? Why do you think they look this way?
  • What do you think they are doing together in the picture?
  • Look into the background of the picture. Notice some of the details. What do you see there?
  • Where is this scene taking place? What seems to be make-believe about this place?
  • What will happen next?


Make up a story about these strange people in this strange place.




Max Ernst, The Couple, 1925,

Oil on canvas, 101.6 x 142.2cm

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