Two Children Are Threatened By A Nightingale Analysis

Two Children are Threanted by a Nightingale Two Children are Threatened by A Nightingale is a multi-media piece that utilizes techniques such as collage and traditional materials such as oil paint and wood to complete the finished piece. It is a wooden board painted with oil and wooden elements adorn and frame the piece. The piece is 2'3" x 1'10" x 0'4" and it stands in an exhibit accompanied by works from Ernst and pieces from other founders of Surrealism such as Salvador Dali and Joan Miró. This piece marks the start of Ernst's surrealist line of works as he shifts from Dadaism to Surrealism. From studying philosophy and abnormal psychology, as well as, his practice of creating collages and juxtaposing images, his experiences gradually

When inspected, Ernst covered much of the wooden board with opaque paint, we are unable to see the color or underlying texture of the wood he had painted on. The piece contains a sky that proportionally takes up the majority of the background and gradually flows from a deep Capri blue to a bright yellow with a tint of lime. Ernst used the general rules of complementary colors to enhance the colors the viewers see, creating a composition that appears more vivid. The blue gradient gradually turns into a bright yellow accentuating both colors and the wooden pieces that he placed on top are a orange-red and red, which exagerates the dimensionality of the red wooden fence and house as it is against the blue and green of the sky and grass. Ernst chooses to paint this piece with different techniques that create a variety of aesthetics and textures. The sky, unlike the wall that is running into the distance, contains a gradient that is more jagged and less smoothed. One can distinguish each separate color that leads the viewers eyes from the blue to the yellow near the horizon, while on the wall there is a smooth transition from orange to white fading into the distance. Furthermore, as blue becomes yellow, the paint is applied more with blotches, creating a cloud like atmosphere and haze surrounding the setting of the image.

Often, the frame of a painting is an afterthought. In traditional works it is always the case that the painting solely included all the details that the artist wanted the viewer to look at and analyze. However, Ernst recognizes the frame, not as something to hold the piece, but as an aide and essential part of the work to connect with the viewers. Ernst creates a piece that captivates and draws the audience by expanding his paint and materials from out the restrictions of the board to the frame of the piece. The sky Ernst paints expands from that of the canvas to the first bar of wooden frame surrounding the board. As a result, Ernst is already blurring the division of the painting and the frame, the object that separates the viewers from the piece. As a result of doing this, the painting and frame becomes perceived as a whole element, the frame is not a decorative border to hold the painting anymore. Furthermore, the design of lines from different planes of the frame, create perspective that looks as if it's a tunnel vacuuming the viewer and prompting them to step inside the piece. The decision of making the architectural or structural pieces three dimensional is fascinating. The dimensional objects already contain physical depth, choosing to paint these objects red, an advancing color, and placing it on top of a cool blue, a receding color heightens the