During the 1960’s and 70’s the Czech Surrealist Toyen gradually abandoned painting and concentrated on producing exquisitely dreamy drypoints and double-sided collages notable for their visual wit, conciseness and razor sharp composition.
As I have noted in a previous post Toyen lived in Andre Breton‘s studio after his death in 1966. Located slap bang in the middle of the red-light district I always fondly imagine that the elderly but still subversive and transgressive creator of these collages and the illustrator of Edition 69 would have been quite content in such a spot.
Double sided Collage Verso-Toyen circa 1960
Double Sided Collage Recto-Toyen circa 1960
Double Sided Collage Verso-Toyen Circa 1971
Double Sided Collage Recto-Toyen circa 1971
Double Sided Collage Verso Toyen circa 1970
Double-Sided Collage Recto-Toyen circa 1970
cakeordeathsite 
This is quite a contrast to her prior art work. I can’t help wondering why the major variation.
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She had done collages from the 1920’s onwards, which are different from these (more of the Czech style of collage) but different media have a different aesthetic. The dry points are exquisite from the same period. Age was probably a factor in switching from painting.
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They are very symbolic as well as erotic, ie; the woman with the dove at her breast. This is quite amazing!
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Dada and surrealism took collage to new heights. They are wonderful. The header collage is so filled with a delirious charge.
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It’s enthralling and dynamic, love this.
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Thank you…Cakeland has many mansions.
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It surely does!
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I clicked through to the dry point you featured- The Mirror- and it is exquisite. I’m not quite sure about the collages however. I like the pair from the sixties better.
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What I particularly like about Toyen is how she shifts registers, from poetic to romantic to horror to downright explicit. And the collages are very very surreal. Thank you Lily.
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It is quite a diverse range. And the composition very much reflects the age in which it was produced. It is always interesting to see an artist in different stages of life, happiness, maturity, etc and how it imprints on their work.
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I have a fondness of the garish, lucid, psychedelic and these are indeed a perfect representation of that excess. It is indeed interesting but Toyen was always interesting throughout.
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