Max Ernst’s Mythopoeic Ecocriticism: Beyond Histoire naturelle
Abstract
Pioneering various so-called chance techniques, Max Ernst embraced frottage for the realisation of Histoire naturelle, a compilation of 34 folios that unfold as a mythopoeic tale bringing together flora, fauna and humans. By this, Max Ernst sought to propose a narrative of creation differing from the Bible to illustrate an alternative account of interconnectedness between the actors. In a nod to multi-species ethics, the paper traces Max Ernst’s explorations of intertwined existences across an oeuvre whose creative force led him not only ‘beyond painting’, but furthermore towards a vision of mutual entanglement across diverse forms of being.
Presentato: 13 Marzo 2025 | Accettato: 06 Marzo 2026 | Pubblicato 08 Ottobre 2026 | Lingua: en
Keywords Histoire naturelle • Histoire Naturelle • Multi-species • Max Ernst • Surrealism • Entanglement
Copyright © 2025 Sandrine Welte. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/QU/3103-5450/2025/02/005