The artwork titled “L’homme terrifié,” created by the artist Wols in 1940, is an exemplary piece belonging to the Surrealism movement and is categorized under the figurative genre. This piece of art intriguingly reflects the characteristic elements of Surrealism, illustrating an imaginative and emotionally evocative landscape.
In the artwork, a range of bizarre and abstract figures are depicted against a pastel blue backdrop. The central figure appears to be an elongated human form with exaggerated features, wearing a small hat and possessing an otherworldly demeanor. To the left of this prominent figure, there is an amorphous, blob-like shape that extends upwards into a more defined form, vaguely suggestive of a humanoid figure engaged in interaction. Astonishingly unconventional limbs and anatomical distortions are present throughout, with one set of legs detached and vanished into the distance, providing an eerie and unsettling effect. These distorted forms and disjointed elements evoke a sense of surreal unease, resonating with the title’s implication of terror. The delicate, almost whimsical, pencil and watercolor technique used by Wols further emphasizes the fluid, dreamlike quality of the scene.
