{"product_id":"a-maiden-a-widow-and-a-wife-max-ernst","title":"A Maiden, a Widow and a Wife - Max Ernst","description":"\u003cp\u003eA 1951 abstract oil painting by Max Ernst, featuring biomorphic forms and textured surfaces against a divided blue and green background.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProduced in 1951, A Maiden, a Widow and a Wife is a characteristic example of Max Ernst's post-war period. During this time, Ernst moved away from the explicit dream-logic of his earlier Dada and Surrealist works, opting instead for a more abstract, biomorphic visual language. The composition features floating, amoebic forms suspended against a divided background of deep forest green and a striking, saturated blue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe painting avoids literal representation, choosing to evoke psychological states through colour and texture. The upper section contains organic shapes with layered, earthy tones, while the lower portion is dominated by a singular, textured mass that appears to float upon the blue field. Ernst employed techniques such as grattage and decalcomania to achieve these varied surfaces, creating a sense of geological or biological growth. The contrast between the smooth, flat colour fields and the rough, impasto-like central element creates a tension that is typical of his later practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eErnst, a central figure in the development of 20th-century European art, often used titles to suggest narrative possibilities, yet the work itself remains resistant to fixed interpretation. The title invites the viewer to project human archetypes onto the abstract forms, though the visual evidence remains ambiguous. This piece demonstrates his interest in the intersection of the natural world and the subconscious mind, presented here through a refined, non-representational lens. The work is a study in balance, where the weight of the central form is countered by the lighter, suspended elements above. It reflects the artist's ongoing exploration of material and form, stripped of the overt symbolism that defined his earlier career.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-return-of-the-flame-rene-magritte\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Return of the Flame - René Magritte — René Magritte\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/untitled-composition-arshile-gorky\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eUntitled (Composition) - Arshile Gorky — Arshile Gorky\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Max Ernst","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58873988710735,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58874020036943,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58874020069711,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58874020102479,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58874020135247,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/A-Maiden-a-Widow-and-a-Wife_Poster_CompositorV1_1790251310397.jpg?v=1790253178","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/a-maiden-a-widow-and-a-wife-max-ernst","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}