Max Ernst

The gallerist and publisher Jeanne Bucher found the commercial collotype process to be a useful tool for artists interested in translating their ideas from one medium to another. Under her direction, German artist Max Ernst published a series of surrealistic compositions called Natural History, in reference to scientific illustrations of plants and animals. Throughout the series, Ernst showcases the drawing technique frottage, which involves rubbing a crayon or pencil over paper placed on a textured surface. The collotype process reproduces these textures with remarkable accuracy, so much so that they are often mistaken for originals drawings instead of prints.