Untitled (Cephalopod) 

This pencil drawing, “Untitled (Cephalopod),” exemplifies the work of German Surrealist Hans Bellmer. Known for his explorations of the human form, Bellmer often depicted distorted and fragmented bodies, particularly female figures, which he saw as a means of exploring the subconscious. The contorted and elongated limbs of the figure in this work are suggestive of a cephalopod, a creature with a head and multiple tentacles. The drawing’s focus on the female form and its uncanny and unsettling qualities is characteristic of Bellmer’s style.