Man and Woman in Front of a Pile of Excrement
Encyclopedia
Man and Woman in Front of a Pile of Excrement (Homme et femme devant un tas d'excréments) is a 1935 oil painting
on copper by Joan Miró
.
. The painting was one of twelve known as the Wild Paintings. Half of these were painted on copper whilst the remaining six were on the type of hardboard called Masonite
. These were constructed in the period of public rioting in Spain that resulted in the Civil War. Miró said this painting was about a period of unease. The painting shows a man and woman reaching out for an embrace but neither of them are moving. The enlarged genitals and lurid colouring have been described as full of "disgust and a loathsome sexuality". The figures represented Miró's pessimism with the situation in Catalonia. This painting has been described as the "key painting" representing Miro's foreboding about the forthcoming civil war. A chiaroscuro
effect is created by the black sky against which the disjointed limbs of the figures are highlighted.
Miro's choice of title was to use French and not Spanish. Miro said that the reference to excrement comes from a saying by Rembrandt who said that when it came to painting, rubies and diamonds were found in dung heaps.
in 1935 and was in the possession of Pilar Juncosa Miró, but is now in the permanent collection of the Fundació Joan Miró
in Barcelona. Pilar Juncosa had been Miro's wife since 1929 and she was a supporter of his Foundation. This painting is kept in the Pilar Juncosa Gallery at his Foundation.
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
on copper by Joan Miró
Joan Miró
Joan Miró i Ferrà was a Spanish Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramicist born in Barcelona.Earning international acclaim, his work has been interpreted as Surrealism, a sandbox for the subconscious mind, a re-creation of the childlike, and a manifestation of Catalan pride...
.
Description
The painting was made on a piece of copper in the week between 15 and 22 October 1935. Miró said that the subject resulted from trying to represent the tragedy and torture of the Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. The painting was one of twelve known as the Wild Paintings. Half of these were painted on copper whilst the remaining six were on the type of hardboard called Masonite
Masonite
Masonite is a type of hardboard invented by William H. Mason.-History:Masonite was invented in 1924 in Laurel, Mississippi, by William H. Mason. Mass production started in 1929. In the 1930s and 1940s Masonite was used for many applications including doors, roofing, walls, desktops, and canoes...
. These were constructed in the period of public rioting in Spain that resulted in the Civil War. Miró said this painting was about a period of unease. The painting shows a man and woman reaching out for an embrace but neither of them are moving. The enlarged genitals and lurid colouring have been described as full of "disgust and a loathsome sexuality". The figures represented Miró's pessimism with the situation in Catalonia. This painting has been described as the "key painting" representing Miro's foreboding about the forthcoming civil war. A chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro in art is "an Italian term which literally means 'light-dark'. In paintings the description refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modelling of the subjects depicted"....
effect is created by the black sky against which the disjointed limbs of the figures are highlighted.
Miro's choice of title was to use French and not Spanish. Miro said that the reference to excrement comes from a saying by Rembrandt who said that when it came to painting, rubies and diamonds were found in dung heaps.
Provenance
This picture was painted in Mont-roig del CampMont-roig del Camp
Mont-roig del Camp is a town and municipality in the comarca of Baix Camp, Catalonia, Spain. It is in the middle of its comarca, between the Serra de Colldejou and the Mediterranean...
in 1935 and was in the possession of Pilar Juncosa Miró, but is now in the permanent collection of the Fundació Joan Miró
Fundació Joan Miró
The ' is a museum of modern art honoring Joan Miró and located on the hill called Montjuïc in Barcelona, Catalonia.-History:...
in Barcelona. Pilar Juncosa had been Miro's wife since 1929 and she was a supporter of his Foundation. This painting is kept in the Pilar Juncosa Gallery at his Foundation.