Facts in the life of Max Ernst are seldom to be relied upon. If we make the attempt to delve into the biography of this man, now recognized as the outstanding artist that he was, we are confronted by a fine "Tissue of Lies and Truth" as Max Ernst himself sub-titled his autobiography. It was part of his particular brand of artistic originality to set traps into which the analytical investigator will invariably stumble. Since these traps were laid by the master himself with a certain reason in mind, they may be of help to us in our attempt to get to know the "real" Max Ernst and his work.