Ernst was a German artist and poet who is widely considered to be one of the pioneers of the Surrealist movement. He was a key figure in the Dada movement, which was an anti-war and anti-bourgeois cultural movement that began in Zurich during World War I. Ernst's works often featured dreamlike imagery and were heavily influenced by his interest in the subconscious mind. His works are seen as a bridge between the traditional and the avant-garde, and he is credited with helping to shape the Surrealist movement.