17869 (_In the apple tree …_) 1932

This collage, made by John Elsas, is from an unknown date. It depicts a scene that is both whimsical and unsettling, like a half-remembered fairy tale. I imagine Elsas carefully cutting out these shapes, maybe with small, sharp scissors, each snip a deliberate act of creation. The figures, rendered in a vibrant pink, stand poised beside a stylized apple tree, their gestures open to interpretation. Are they welcoming us, or warning us? The tree itself is intriguing, its patterned foliage hinting at hidden depths. The handwritten text at the bottom adds another layer of mystery, a fragment of a story that we can only guess at. There’s a childlike quality to the work that reminds me of folk art, but also a sophisticated understanding of form and composition. It reminds us of how art emerges from our dreams, our memories, and our imagination.