As a trio of recent shows demonstrates, Surrealism continues to hold its share of mysteries for U.S. audiences, even in the 21st century. Taken together, the exhibitions illustrate a movement full of contradictory personalities and styles that are still being sorted through.

Few artists are more central to Surrealism than Max Ernst, who was given a full-scale retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Apr. 7, 2005-July 10, 2005. Yet he also had a unique position. Sabine Rewald, who co-organized the Met's show with Werner Spies, points out that Ernst was the only German-born artist in the Parisian Surrealist group.

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