Aquis Submersus

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Aquis Submersus

Max Ernst, 1919

Oil on canvas

54 × 43.8 cm, 21.26 × 17.24 in

Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, Frankfurt

Aquis Submersus (1919) is a painting by the German dadaist/surrealist Max Ernst. It is one of Ernst’s earliest known surrealist works.

It depicts a swimming pool surrounded by buildings. The sense of dimension is unclear. The features of the buildings appear to be hand-drawn. The buildings leave shadows against the sky like a wall. Hanging in the sky is a clock that reflects on the water like the moon.

In the foreground is a figure that appears to have been made out of clay. It bears the handlebar mustache that was worn by Ernst’s father.

The painting carries the same name as a famous novella by Theodor Storm, published in 1876. See http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquis_submersus

[edit] Sources

• The Guardian - Analysis of Pietà or Revolution by Night that describes Ernst’s father.