Aquis Submersus

Aquis Submersus

Artist	Max Ernst
Year	1919
Type	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	54 cm × 43.8 cm (21.26 in × 17.24 in)
Location	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 as a 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.

Sources

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