The Hat Makes the Man

Infobox Painting|

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backcolor=#FBF5DF
painting_alignment=right
image_size=300px
title=The Hat Makes the Man
artist=Max Ernst
year=1920
type=Gouache, Pencil, Collage and Pen and ink on board
height=35.6
width=45.7
height_inch=14
width_inch = 18
diameter_cm =
diameter_inch =
city=New York City
museum=Museum of Modern Art

"The Hat Makes the Man" (1920) is a collage by the German dadaist/surrealist Max Ernst. It is comprised of cut out images of hats from catalogues linked by gouache and pencil outlines to create abstract anthropomorphic figures. There are inscriptions in ink that read "seed-covered stacked-up man seedless waterformer ('edelformer') well fitting nervous system also tightly fitting nerves! (the hat makes the man) (style is the tailor)." The idea for this work began as a sculpture made from wooden hat molds.

Ernst was an important figure in the dada movement, which often criticized the tastes of mainstream culture and depicted modern man as a conformist automaton.

ources

* [http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?object_id=35478 The Museum of Modern Art]