The Nymph Echo is an oil on canvas painted by Max Ernst, who was a German painter, sculptor, graphic artist and poet. He was a a pioneer of the Dada movement and Surrealism. He invented surrealist art techniques such as frottage and grattage. He also had a fascination with birds and it shows a lot in his work. His alter ego named Loplop, was actually an extension from himself stemming from an early confusion of birds and humans.” He was arrested during World War 2 and managed to escape and fled to the United States in 1941. He lived in New York City and helped inspire the development for Abstract Expressionism. Ernst died at the age of 84 on April 1, 1976 in Paris.

Ernst painted The Nymph Echo in 1936 using oil paint as his medium. On the upper right if you look closely you can see a naked women. She is supposed to be Echo, a mountain nymph of Greek Mythology. The huge flower or plant represents Narcissus. Echo fell in love with Narcissus, but it is said that he fell in love with his own reflection and wasted away from unsatisfied desire and eventually turned into a flower. This painting is supposed to demonstrate that moment of metamorphosis. It’s a very bright painting consisting of greens, magentas, pinks and blues. If you really take time and concentrate on the painting you can actually see a large bird with human hands, which goes back to his fascination with birds and his alter ego Loplop.

This painting reflects modernism because it is a surrealist piece of art. The Surrealism Movement was found by poet Andre breton in 1924 and it sought unlock the power of the imagination. Surrealist painters created strange creatures out of everyday objects and created techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself. These paintings are not supposed to make sense. They are made to allow you to explore your imagination and for everyone to have their own interpretation of it. In The Nymph Echo you can see that a creature was created out of flowers and leaves. There is a lot going on like the birds with human hands and the small naked female on the upper right side. When you first look at this painting a lot goes on in your mind and you start to create your own interpretation of what it could be or mean.

As soon as I walked into Max Ernst Gallery I was drawn to his colorful work. I love flowers and color so I was instantly drawn to this painting because of that. As I got closer I started to try and figure out what it was, it just looked really beautiful. It reminded me of a painting my grandma had in her house. After, I read the description next to it I became even more intrigued by it. I love Greek Mythology so to know that this painting had something to do with it made me like it even more.

One question that I still have about this painting is why add the bird with the human hands? I know it’s his alter ego but what does it have to do with this painting? Is there a deeper meaning to it being there ?