American Surrealist artist Dorothea Tanning (1910–2012) is believed to have had a certain magic around her, from the moment she first set her foot in the surrealist art movement. Tanning was an American expatriate who moved to Paris in 1946, where she remained for nearly 40 years. Tanning was deeply inspired by French culture and Surrealist ideology, and her work is renowned for its arresting depictions of the subconscious, feminine identity, and dreamlike visions.
In the decades following WW2, Tanning explored themes of insanity, debasement and unanswerable questions in her artwork, often featuring bizarre character-like figures that seem to be eviscerated or otherwise in painful predicaments. She wrote children’s books, was a close friend with iconic surrealist artists such as Max Ernst, and went on to influence generations of artists to come.
Tanning’s works can be found in the permanent collections of major museums around the world, such as the Museum of Modern art in New York, the Pompidou Centre in Paris, and the Tate Modern in London.
In this article, we take a look at the greatest works by Dorothea Tanning, the painter and printmaker that fused a Surrealist-influenced visual vocabulary of the subconscious with an elegance and grace, to create arresting and unique works of art.
Lilith (1945)
Dorothea Tanning was largely homebound in Arizona, following her evacuation from France at the start of WW2. During this period, she created her masterpiece, Lilith. The painting, which measures 55” x 77”, is dominated by a woman holding an egg in her hand and accompanied by large black birds. Symbolic elements in the painting are recurrent in surrealist artwork, and allude to post-war anxiety, with the fearsome symbolism and heavy use of the color black alluding to death, destruction, and sadness.
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (1943)
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is another Tanning masterpiece, and it solidifies her place in the history of Surrealism and abstract art. This painting also measures 55” x 77”, and displays a reclining woman in the center of the composition, wearing a blue dress with her arms outstretched and a bemused expression on her face. Tanning depicted the woman as an ageless figure, and used stark shades of blue and yellow, to personify the woman’s inner state and sense of freedom.
Birthday (1942)
Birthday, painted in 1942, is one of Tanning’s most iconic works and displays her mastery of the surrealistic style. The painting, which measures 66.3” x 52”, contains surrealistic elements such as a chimera and a long-legged female in a yellow dress, intertwined with a snake-like creature. Tanning used the figure of the woman to represent transformation and the unknown, while the chimera symbolizes the possible dual nature of humanity.
Woman As Piano (1944-45)
Woman as Piano demonstrates Tanning’s unique ability to craft unearthly images, fusing the womanly with the mechanized. This painting, which measures 56.2” x 55.3”, depicts a woman, with her arms outstretched, seemingly becoming the piano she is playing. Tanning used a brilliant red for the woman’s dress and contrasted it against the yellow and blue tones of the instrument and the abstract painted parts.
Invisible Invader (1944)
Invisible Invader is beautiful and mysterious, and displays Tanning’s extremely feminist perspective on surrealism. The painting, measuring 77” x 56”, features a small female figure in a tiny yellow dress, who looks upon an erupting volcano. The painting can be interpreted in many ways, but it’s generally believed to represent a woman’s strength in spite of overwhelming odds.
Hanging Bed (1946)
Hanging Bed is considered a surrealist marvel, with its abrupt and startling composition. Tanning painted the work on paper, which measures 34.7” x 28”, depicting a bed that appears to be suspended in mid-air, while miniature figures run along the bed. This piece is charged with Tanning’s signature surrealistic elements, and she used a muted color palette to highlight the bedding.
Chignon and Rhinestone (ca. 1947)
The unique piece of art titled Chignon and Rhinestones was created with oil on canvas, measuring 49.4” x 40”. This work has it all — an eerie tone, that Tanning was well known for, an evocative female figure in its center, and an underlying feeling of chaos thanks to the rhinestones falling from the figure’s hair.
Apprentice of the Magician (1945)
This painting, which measures 59.8” x 44”, is one of Tanning’s best known works. In Apprentice of the Magician, Tanning used a central figure to represent her own journey as an artist, and the painting features the woman-like figure embracing a griffin and standing on a boulder in a mystical landscape. Tanning also employed bright colors, such as yellow and blue, to emphasize the magic in the painting.
Dorothea Tanning spent her life immersed in the surrealist movement, and became a master in the field. The seven artworks outlined in this article are some of Tanning’s most revered pieces, and are amongst her most famous works. Tanning’s unique way of creating art not only captivated Surrealism’s devotees but also has a contemporary resonance and will continue to inspire future generations of artists.
