The artwork, titled “The Virgin Spanking the Christ Child before Three Witnesses: André Breton, Paul Éluard, and the Painter,” was created by Max Ernst in 1926 in Paris, France. This symbolic painting, executed in oil on canvas, belongs to the Surrealist art movement and measures 196 x 130 cm. The painting is currently housed in the Museum Ludwig in Cologne, Germany.
In this surrealistic portrayal, the scene depicts the Virgin Mary, dressed in a vivid red garment, in the act of spanking the Christ Child, who is splayed over her lap. The Virgin’s stern expression is countered by the child’s surprised and uncomfortable posture, introducing a subversive twist to traditional religious iconography. Behind them, through a framed view, three witnesses — identified as André Breton, Paul Éluard, and the painter himself — observe the event with enigmatic expressions. The composition employs sharp geometric forms and stark lighting, characteristic of Surrealism, drawing attention to the unsettling yet thought-provoking nature of the scene.
