About this artwork
Mr. Knife, Miss Fork is a petite, embellished book that includes writing by René Crevel and 19 photograms by Max Ernst. To make the photograms, Ernst first employed frottage, a technique that involves rubbing graphite on a piece of translucent paper (or tissue) placed upon a textured material. He then laid the tissue paper over a photosensitive paper to create a reverse image––effectively turning the rubbing into a photographic negative. This technique was significant to the Surrealist movement; it allowed artists to draw images from the subconscious and create unusual juxtaposition through chance. The book’s text is a translation of the first chapter of René Crevel’s 1927 novel Babylone, a landmark of Surrealist literature that embraced themes of revolt and fear.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Ryerson and Burnham Libraries Special Collections
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Artist
- Max Ernst
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Title
- Mr. Knife, Miss Fork
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Place
- Germany (Object Possibly made in)
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Date
- 1931
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Medium
- Illustrated book on Bristol paper with 19 gelatin silver photograms protected by printed tissue guards; black cloth cover stamped in gilt
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Edition
- Edition of 255
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Dimensions
- 18.5 × 12.5 × 1.8 cm (7 5/16 × 4 15/16 × 3/4 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of Joseph Randall Shapiro; Mary Reynolds Collection
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Reference Number
- 2023.3230
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.