Tremor, 1992
$395.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
A small, surreal seascape that feels at once playful and quietly uncanny. Fanny Brennan arranges elongated, patterned shells like skyscrapers rising from a low, rocky shoreline, their tall spirals puncturing a cool, sea‑green sky. The careful, miniature scale—image set well inside generous white margins—makes the shells read like a found collection turned into a cityscape: familiar objects placed in an unfamiliar setting, as the artist described. The muted palette of aquamarine, soft ochres and cream, and the crisp, delicate handling give the scene a hushed, almost collectible quality. You notice the variety of textures — spotted bands, smooth spirals, fine striations — and how their vertical forms contrast with the horizontal calm of water and land beneath. It’s a witty, contemplative image that lingers in memory, equal parts natural cabinet of curiosities and imagined architecture.
The Artwork
About Shell City, 1995
"Shell City" is a lithograph created by Fanny Brennan in 1995. From the edition of 300, the artwork is initialed 'FMB' lower right and annotated lower left. The artwork is framed in a contemporary silver and dark gray frame and has a framed size of 15.75 x 16.75". The artwork ships framed and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Each of Brennan's prints is a compact world of real and imaginary elements, playful and ambiguous, though completely enjoyable. "My intention is to depart entirely from the the customary view of miniature painting," notes the artist. "I do not paint mementos. Rather, by placing familiar objects in unfamiliar settings, I try to produce an image that will be remembered for its own sake." This work is published by Chalk & Vermilion Fine Arts, an affiliate of Martin Lawrence Galleries, no prior ownership.
Collector Details
What to Know About This Piece
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About the Collection
Fanny Brennan (1921–2001) was a French-American surrealist artist renowned for her miniature paintings that transform everyday objects into imaginative compositions. Her work is characterized by meticulous detail and a whimsical approach, often featuring items like buttons, safety pins, and pearls in surreal settings. Brennan's art invites viewers into a mythical world, blending the normal with the magical. Her innovative approach to small-scale art has secured her place among notable 20th-century female artists, contributing significantly to contemporary surrealism.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by Fanny Brennan.
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Authenticity & Documentation
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Limited-edition artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity when one is issued by the artist, publisher, studio, or authorized source. Open-edition pieces may not include a certificate; this does not affect their authenticity. The Collection Shop sources artwork through artists, publishers, authorized distributors, galleries, and other approved channels. Any additional documentation included with this specific piece will be noted above.
Fanny Brennan's innovative approach to painting is immediately clear in the small size of her work, which never exceeds a few inches square. These tiny pictures are filled with humor and, in meticulous detail, present playful images of a mythical world that exists only in her imagination.
As an American student in Paris, Fanny was an independent soul. "At the Atelier Art et Jeunesse," she says, they were always trying to get me to fill the entire page of drawing paper. I only wanted to make very, very small pictures." Defying the fashion of the day, she refused to wear a hat and probably spent too much time at the Cafe de Flore, where she taught Picasso to play Chinese Checkers and rubbed peanut shells into Giacometti's hair. She was asked to leave her all-girl boarding house after calling the ornery concierge a "cow."
Since then, Fanny has painted more than 300 images on small gessoed composition boards—each one usually taking one month to complete. A charter member of "Who's Who in American Art" her originals have been exhibited in galleries across the USA. She has also received awards from Time Inc., The Art Directors Club and the Museum of Modern Art. Each of these lithographs is made in the traditional manner with all color plates created by hand.
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