Germination 1946

Jacques Hérold created this work, titled "Germination", using oil on canvas. Hérold was a key figure in the Parisian Surrealist movement of the mid-twentieth century, a group of artists and thinkers who sought to liberate thought, language, and human experience from the oppressive constraints of reason and social convention. This painting shows the ways that Surrealist artists questioned the place of humans in a world transformed by technology. Is the figure in this painting an organic being, or some kind of manufactured life form? Note the geometric shapes that encase the chest of the figure. Do these suggest a kind of protective shield? Are they also a kind of cage? The title, "Germination," suggests potential and growth. Yet, the image offers no clear resolution. To understand the painting more fully, one might consult periodicals such as *La Révolution surréaliste,* which document the artists' debates about the role of art in the transformation of society.