Max Ernst is known as an artist who broke with convention and experimented with a wide range of techniques. He did not, however, work as a photographer. This exhibition is the first to examine the points of contact between Ernst’s art and photography as a medium and technique. The endeavour is based on the extensive holdings of the Würth Collection, supplemented by works from the collections of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation as well as museums and private collections in France and Germany.

Max Ernst’s work marks the beginning of a new, creative approach to photography after World War I; it was significantly influenced by the medium’s technical and artistic developments at that time. Snapshots, scientific photographs, and images of war machines provided him with inspiration and working material, especially for his collages. Not least, Max Ernst liked to pose in front of the camera, for well-known photographers and the photo booth alike. Sometimes serious, and sometimes a little ‘gaga’, these portraits illustrate his love of play.