Fine Art Poster
From £28
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
A Friends' Reunion - Max Ernst
Prix régulier
£28.00 GBP
Prix de vente
£28.00 GBP
Prix régulier
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A surrealist group portrait by Max Ernst, depicting key figures of the Dada and Surrealist movements in a dreamlike, theatrical setting.
A Friends' Reunion (1922) is a significant oil painting by Max Ernst, created shortly after his arrival in Paris. The work depicts a gathering of figures associated with the Dada movement and the early Surrealist circle. Ernst presents these individuals in a dreamlike, theatrical setting, placed against a stark, dark background that contrasts with the icy, mountainous terrain in the foreground. The composition is structured with a sense of deliberate artifice, reminiscent of a stage set or a collage.
Each figure is numbered, referencing a key provided within the painting itself, which identifies the subjects. Among those included are André Breton, Gala Éluard, Paul Éluard, and Ernst himself. The figures appear somewhat detached from one another, their poses stiff and formal, which contributes to the uncanny atmosphere typical of Ernst's early work. The inclusion of a small, glass-like structure on the left, containing smaller figures, adds a layer of spatial ambiguity. This device reflects Ernst's interest in the juxtaposition of disparate elements to create new, irrational meanings.
The painting functions as a collective portrait of a specific intellectual milieu, yet it avoids the conventions of traditional group portraiture. Instead, Ernst employs a flattened perspective and a muted, somewhat unnatural colour palette to distance the scene from reality. The work captures the transition from the chaotic energy of Dada to the more structured, psychological explorations of Surrealism. By placing his contemporaries in this desolate, otherworldly environment, Ernst creates a visual record of a social group that is simultaneously a commentary on the nature of representation and memory. The painting remains a primary document for understanding the social and artistic connections of the Parisian avant-garde during the early 1920s.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
A Friends' Reunion - Max Ernst
Prix régulier
À partir de £28.00 GBP
Prix de vente
À partir de £28.00 GBP
Prix régulier
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Max Ernst
Ernst invented frottage because he was staring at a wooden floor. He was in a hotel room in 1925, looking at the grain of the floorboards, and saw figures and landscapes in the patterns. He placed paper over the surface and rubbed it with graphite. The textures that emerged, wood grain transformed into forests, oceans, and strange organic forms, became the basis of his painting technique for the next decade.
He was born in Brühl, near Cologne, and studied philosophy and art history at the University of Bonn. He had no formal art training. He saw a Picasso exhibition, joined the Rhineland Expressionists, served in the German army during the First World War (artillery), and emerged with what he described as a compulsion to find something beyond rational thought. Dada gave him the method. Surrealism gave him the framework.
His collage novels, made from cut-up Victorian engravings reassembled into dreamlike narratives, are among the most original works of the twentieth century. Une Semaine de Bonte (A Week of Kindness, 1934) is a series of 182 collages arranged in five chapters, each associated with an element and a day of the week. The imagery is violent, erotic, and funny. The source material, melodramatic Victorian illustrations, is treated with deadpan seriousness.
He married four times. His second wife was Peggy Guggenheim (briefly). His fourth was the painter Dorothea Tanning. He moved to America during the war, lived in Sedona, Arizona, and then returned to France. He died in Paris in 1976, the night before his eighty-fifth birthday.
He was born in Brühl, near Cologne, and studied philosophy and art history at the University of Bonn. He had no formal art training. He saw a Picasso exhibition, joined the Rhineland Expressionists, served in the German army during the First World War (artillery), and emerged with what he described as a compulsion to find something beyond rational thought. Dada gave him the method. Surrealism gave him the framework.
His collage novels, made from cut-up Victorian engravings reassembled into dreamlike narratives, are among the most original works of the twentieth century. Une Semaine de Bonte (A Week of Kindness, 1934) is a series of 182 collages arranged in five chapters, each associated with an element and a day of the week. The imagery is violent, erotic, and funny. The source material, melodramatic Victorian illustrations, is treated with deadpan seriousness.
He married four times. His second wife was Peggy Guggenheim (briefly). His fourth was the painter Dorothea Tanning. He moved to America during the war, lived in Sedona, Arizona, and then returned to France. He died in Paris in 1976, the night before his eighty-fifth birthday.
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Fine Art Framed
From £45
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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