La Forêt à l'Aube - Salon de Mai 1958

This 1958 original exhibition poster, designed by Max Ernst for the Salon de Mai, features "La Forêt à l’Aube" (The Forest at Dawn)—a striking example of his surrealist and abstract approach to nature and texture.

The Salon de Mai, held at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, was a crucial post-war exhibition, showcasing avant-garde artists pushing the boundaries of modern art. Max Ernst, a pioneer of Surrealism and Dada, used his signature grattage (scraping) and frottage (rubbing) techniques to create intricate, layered imagery that evokes dense forests, dreamlike landscapes, and subconscious visions.

The deep blue tones and web-like patterns in this poster create an immersive, almost mystical atmosphere. The composition suggests a tangle of organic forms, simultaneously resembling tree branches, nervous systems, or celestial maps. Ernst’s ability to blend the natural world with the unknown makes this piece particularly mesmerizing.

Typography plays a minimal yet bold role in the design, with "Salon de Mai" in large, capitalized red letters anchoring the artwork. The exhibition dates, 11 May – 1 June 1958, are displayed in a structured layout, balancing the chaotic beauty of the artwork above.

As a testament to post-war creativity and artistic freedom, this poster embodies the spirit of the 20th-century avant-garde, reinforcing Ernst’s legacy as an innovator in automatism, texture-based techniques, and surreal landscapes. Today, it remains a rare and collectible piece, capturing the essence of the Salon de Mai’s revolutionary influence on modern art.

Exhibition - Surrealism - Dada

Museum of modern art of the city of Paris

Mourlot

Very good state