What is Grattage?

Grattage is a Surrealist technique developed by Max Ernst that involves scraping paint off a canvas placed over a textured surface. The process reveals patterns and textures that suggest forms the artist can then develop further. Similar to frottage (rubbing), grattage allows chance and the unconscious to guide artistic creation, bypassing rational planning to discover unexpected imagery. The technique produces ethereal, organic textures that evoke landscapes, forests, or otherworldly environments. Ernst used grattage extensively in paintings like ‘Forest and Dove’ and ‘Europe After the Rain,’ creating mysterious atmospheres through layered scraping and overpainting. The technique exemplifies the Surrealist interest in accessing unconscious imagery through chance procedures.