The Sun in the Forest 1959

Andre Masson made this print, "The Sun in the Forest," using the process of lithography. This printmaking technique involves drawing on a stone or metal plate, and then using oil and water to transfer the image to paper. Notice the dense, swirling lines and abstract shapes that fill the composition. Masson’s spontaneous gestures reveal the physical act of mark-making. The lithographic process allows for a unique texture, with the ink appearing slightly raised on the paper. This brings a tactile quality to the image, inviting the viewer to trace the artist's hand movements. Masson was deeply engaged with surrealism, a movement that sought to unlock the creative potential of the unconscious mind. The immediacy of lithography made it an ideal medium for this purpose. We might think of Masson’s process as a kind of automatic writing – or drawing – where the hand moves freely, uninhibited by conscious thought. This print reminds us that art-making is always a physical act, rooted in the artist's engagement with materials and process.