Fright (1937/1937) by ToyenNational Gallery Prague
The surrealist painter Marie Čermínová, known by her nickname Toyen, is one of the most outstanding artists of the 20th century.
Her work is distinguished by originality and precision of rendering, and it can still evoke an uncertain but even stronger feeling of unrest in spectators.
The objects are found in disturbing, non-logical situations, opening space for our subconscious minds.
Toyen's "Fright" is a great example of this – a feathery object is bleeding, one hand is missing on the edge of the fence, and nothing but darkness is visible through the slits.
The dark undertone is typical of Toyen’s work in the second half of the 1930s.
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