Dorothea Tanning and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

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Tanning, Dorothea. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. 1943,
Tate Gallery. 
(Image from dorotheatanning.org)

 
Dorothea Tanning
(Image from wikiart.org)

Artist Background    

    Dorothea Tanning was an American painter born in 1910 in Galesburg, IL. Tanning was a mostly self taught artist, who took a very limited number of classes during her college years. In 1935, she moved to New York from Chicago and lived as a commercial artist. Much of her work is inspired by Surrealism and contains surreal elements. Many of those pieces also contain female figures. The authors at The Art Story write how her "exploration of the female form has led to her association with the Feminist movement." Her legacy, outside of her paintings, is greatly shaped by her work to reduce any stigmas around women working in art. 

Artwork Background

    Eine Kleine Nachtmusik was painted in 1943. It is an important, distinctive piece from Tanning's early works. The title, meaning "a little serenade," is named after one of Mozarts pieces, which Tanning was fascinated with at the time. The piece shows two young girls in a hallway, standing near an abnormally large sunflower bloom. Many surrealist details are present, including the hair of one girl that stands upright, defying gravity, and the cloths which wrap around both of their bodies. Fragments of the sunflower stem are contorted and warped on the floor, similarly to how the cloth wraps around the girls. One of the petals from the flower is seen cascaded down some steps that lead off of the painting. The viewer cannot see the bottom of the staircase. Four doors are against the wall, with the door furthest from the viewer cracked open slightly, letting out a sliver of light that casts onto the floor. Writing in a letter on the subject of the painting years later, Tanning stated that the piece is "...about confrontation. Everyone believes he/she is his/her drama," according to the Tate website. She also stated in the same letter that the flower is "a symbol of all the things that youth has to face and to deal with...[the] never-ending battle we wage with unknown forces, the forces that were there before our civilization." 

Elements and Principles of Art

    Color is very rich in this piece. Many of the colors complement one another, with the primary colors present being green, yellow, red, and brown. Nothing is overly vibrant however, there is a great deal of emphasis on the sunflower. This is not only because it is situated in the center of the piece but also because it is yellow, the most vibrant color of the piece. Movement is achieved through many aspects of the piece. First, the positioning and extension of the hallway to the upper left corner draws the eye to the open door. This open door can cause pondering from the viewer as well, since the other three doors are closed. The staircase which drifts out of the frame also causes movement within the picture. However, the use of contorted line in the depiction of the frayed flower shows the most movement in the piece, and from my experience, causes the most analysis by the viewer. By taking a closer look at the green stems and leaves of the flower, we can see that the dark haired girl appears to be holding a fragment of this in her hand. And upon closer inspection, the viewer can see the blonde haired girl holding a limp petal from the flower. This makes the scene look as though the girls have just overtaken or distorted the flower in some way. 

Analysis and Commentary

    This piece plays greatly plays on Surrealist ideas and characteristics. According to The Art Story, Tanning often painted depictions of her dreams, which was paramount to the Surrealist movement. This is not only was akin to the Surrealist movement, but was in line with the larger modern art movement by her use of personal experiences and iconography. This has been one of the most interesting pieces I've posted so far. I find myself going back to look multiple times, almost wondering if I am seeing things correctly. What stands out to me the most in this piece are the two young girls. I wonder if what Tanning stated in her letter was at all tied to young girlhood and womanhood and the challenges that are often present during those times. To me, the piece gives off an atmosphere of horror, accomplishment, and disillusionment, all at the same time. Wherever this piece may have truly come from within Tanning, it will is one to cause great analysis, questioning, and interest. 

Reader Questions: What do you think is taking place in this piece? What seems to be the general mood or atmosphere of the painting? 

Other Sources Used 

The Art Story

Tate Museum 

    

    

    

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