Battle of the Fishes 1927

"Battle of the Fishes" is a 1927 drawing by André Masson, a prominent figure in Surrealism. The work, housed at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, displays Masson's signature automatic style with its gestural lines and fragmented forms. The drawing depicts a dynamic, chaotic scene, likely inspired by the artist's fascination with dreams and the subconscious mind. The viewer is confronted with an abstract representation of fish in a tumultuous struggle, conveying a sense of primal energy and subconscious anxieties. The use of pastels in hues of yellow, green, and brown further emphasizes the dreamlike quality of the artwork. This work, along with Masson's other pieces, epitomizes the Surrealist movement's fascination with the irrational and the unconscious.