Dark Forest 1937

Andre Masson made this forest scene with paint on board, maybe he found the board already in this woody color, I wonder? These black lines zip around, like a forest, kind of dark, but also playful. And I think the painting itself is a playful thing. I can imagine Masson just letting his hand go, drawing in the air with his brush, and splat, there it is. That drip from the leaf shape almost looks like a teardrop. Is the forest sad, or maybe that's just the dew? And then you see this bright yellow, like a burst of sunshine, but it’s also got this, like, little dude with squid hair. I love how it just hangs out in the dark forest. Masson was obviously in conversation with other Surrealist painters like Miró.   It's almost like he's showing us how painting itself can be this wild, untamed space, full of surprises and weird little creatures.