Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
SURREALIST STYLE
In the wake of World War I’s ravaging of Europe, artists delved into the unconscious mind to confront and grapple with this reality. Poet and critic André Breton, a leader of the Surrealist movement who authored the 1924 Surrealist Manifesto, called this approach “a violent reaction against the impoverishment and sterility of thought processes that resulted from centuries of rationalism.” Surrealist art emerged in the 1920s with dreamlike and uncanny imagery guided by a variety of techniques such as automatic drawing, which can be likened to a stream of consciousness, to channel psychological experiences.
Although Surrealism was a groundbreaking approach for European art, its practitioners were inspired by Indigenous art and ancient mysticism for reenvisioning how sculptures, paintings, prints, performance art and more could respond to the unsettled world around them.
Surrealist artists were also informed by the Dada movement, which originated in 1916 Zurich and embraced absurdity over the logic that had propelled modernity into violence. Some of the Surrealists had witnessed this firsthand, such as Max Ernst, who served in the trenches during World War I, and Salvador Dalí, whose otherworldly paintings and other work responded to the dawning civil war in Spain.
Other key artists associated with the revolutionary art and literary movement included Man Ray, Joan Miró, René Magritte, Yves Tanguy, Frida Kahlo and Meret Oppenheim, all of whom had a distinct perspective on reimagining reality and freeing the unconscious mind from the conventions and restrictions of rational thought. Pablo Picasso showed some of his works in “La Peinture Surréaliste” — the first collective exhibition of Surrealist painting — which opened at Paris’s Galerie Pierre in November of 1925. (Although Magritte is best known as one of the visual Surrealist movement’s most talented practitioners, his famous 1943 painting, The Fifth Season, can be interpreted as a formal break from Surrealism.)
The outbreak of World War II led many in the movement to flee Europe for the Americas, further spreading Surrealism abroad. Generations of modern and contemporary artists were subsequently influenced by the richly symbolic and unearthly imagery of Surrealism, from Joseph Cornell to Arshile Gorky.
Find a collection of original Surrealist paintings, sculptures, prints and multiples and more art on 1stDibs.
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Style: Surrealist
5 bestialities - 19-02-19, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
5 bestialities - 19-02-19 After my last drawing '11 bestialities - 09-02-19' I got the hang of it and decided to do once more. After all, when the artist's mind has been evoked, t...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pencil
Voorschoten - 11-03-19, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
Voorschoten - 11-03-19 Last year I was walking through sunny Voorschoten, a town in the north to where I live. I saw an attractive cityscape appearing in one of the streets, took ...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pencil
The artist and his model - 31-03-19, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
The artist and his model - 31-03-19 This drawing is a protest and and prestudy altogether. The latter for the sake of a bigger painting and the first because I need to be more cle...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pencil
French Contemporary Art By Helen Uter - May
By Helen Uter
Located in Paris, IDF
Acrylic on paper, Framed 42 x 42 x 3 cm
Helen Uter is an established Franco-American painter born in 1955 who lives and works in Donnery, near Orléans, France. Heavily influenced b...
Category
1990s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Acrylic
French Contemporary Art By Helen Uter - Moutons Baldwin
By Helen Uter
Located in Paris, IDF
Acrylic on paper, Framed 42 x 42 x 3 cm
Helen Uter is an established Franco-American painter born in 1955 who lives and works in Donnery, near Orléans, France. Heavily influenced b...
Category
1990s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Acrylic
French Contemporary Art By Helen Uter - Aleck
By Helen Uter
Located in Paris, IDF
Acrylic on paper, Framed 42 x 42 x 3 cm
Helen Uter is an established Franco-American painter born in 1955 who lives and works in Donnery, near Orléans, France. Heavily influenced b...
Category
1990s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Oil
French Contemporary Art By Helen Uter - Joseph
By Helen Uter
Located in Paris, IDF
Acrylic on paper, Framed 42 x 42 x 3 cm
Helen Uter is an established Franco-American painter born in 1955 who lives and works in Donnery, near Orléans, France. Heavily influenced b...
Category
1990s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Acrylic
Roundism - 27-04-20, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism - 27-04-20 The next drawing in my solarized roundism series. It forms a transition from my previous abstracted cubist geometry towards a crossover to realism and surreali...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pencil, Carbon Pencil
The Venus of The Hague - 09-07-20, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
The Venus of The Hague - 09-07-20 Animals kept crawling in so it was inevitable to incorporate them into these series. The first one I saw was a lioness in her thight and second t...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pencil
The Venus of The Hague - 23-07-20, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
The Venus of The Hague - 23-07-20 Being a deep sea fish a coelacanth hardly ever come face to face with a white shark way up high but sometimes it does. If so, what would you expe...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pencil
The Proud Brothers - 04-01-21, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
The Proud Brothers - 04-01-21 The Bigger the Lie How can The Blues Brothers turn into The Proud Brothers? That is simple enough. Take a big country and turn it into a madhouse. D...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pencil
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen - 15-03-21, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
Het Depot Rotterdam's latest acquisition is the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen. There was this online première in Januari 2021 during corona times but it drew less attention than deserved. Upon my word, I declare 'Het Depot' or in slang Rotterdam 'De Pot', a new wonder of the world. Surely it looks like a rather plump shiny pot but it is grand and stacked full of art. Boijmans therefor is the first to offer access to its entire collection in this new art storage...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pencil
UNTITLED
Located in Portland, ME
Drawing, Ink and colored pencil or Watercolor and color pencil, dated between 2013 and 2020. 6 x 7 5/8 or 7 5/8 x 6 inches. Signed and inscribed, verso. One of a series of untitled ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor, Color Pencil
UNTITLED
Located in Portland, ME
Drawing, Ink and colored pencil or Watercolor and color pencil, 2013-2020. 6 x 7 5/8 or 7 5/8 x 6 inches. Signed and inscribed, verso. One of a series of untitled drawings on various...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor, Color Pencil
UNTITLED
Located in Portland, ME
Drawing, Ink and colored pencil or Watercolor and color pencil, 2013-2020. 6 x 7 5/8 or 7 5/8 x 6 inches. Signed and inscribed, verso. One of a series of untitled drawings on various...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor, Color Pencil
UNTITLED
Located in Portland, ME
Drawing, Ink and colored pencil or Watercolor and color pencil, 2013-2020. 6 x 7 5/8 or 7 5/8 x 6 inches. Signed and inscribed, verso. One of a series of untitled drawings on various...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor, Color Pencil
UNTITLED
Located in Portland, ME
Drawing, Ink and colored pencil or Watercolor and color pencil, 2013-2020. 6 x 7 5/8 or 7 5/8 x 6 inches. Signed and inscribed, verso. One of a series of untitled drawings on various...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor, Color Pencil
Untitled
By Wifredo Lam
Located in Miami, FL
Wifredo Lam
“Untitled” 1970
Ink on paper
19 x 26 in
Signed by the artist at the right bottom corner.
Certificate of Authenticity by Eskil Lam, Lam Foundation, Paris.
Wifredo Lam wa...
Category
20th Century Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Ink
Risque – 31-01-22, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
Different Styles Another variation in the Risque Series. After my last graphite pencil drawing ‘Risque – 22-01-22’ I was searching for something new. I just don’t like to ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pencil
Wag the Dog – 26-09-21, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
Art Deco Feel Wag the dog was the first title that came to mind when I saw this beautiful photo. It stems from the 1930s I think. It has this incredible art deco feel about it. Ho...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pencil
Taurus II
By Jacob Gildor
Located in London, GB
JACOB GILDOR b. 1948
(German / Israeli)
Title: Taurus II, 2003
Technique: Original Hand Signed Tempera and Collage and Ink on cardboard
Size: 25.3 x 35.2 cm / 9.9 x 13.8 in
Additional Information: It is hand signed in black pen "Gildor" at the lower left of the paper.
It was realised in 2003.
This work is recorded in the artist archive with reference no. 2003-12
Exhibited:
1. Forward and Backward, paintings 1966-2003, Sara Kishon Gallery, Tel Aviv, January 2003. No. 6, illustrated pages 10-11.
2. Art Budapst, Antik Enterior, 2006
3. Belvedere Gallery, Budapest , Winter Collection, 2007
Literaute: Jacob Gildor, Segments of Creation, Vol. I, 2009, Israeli Art Museum...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Tempera
"Bamboo, Lobster, & Cherries, " Original Ink Drawing signed by David Barnett
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Bamboo, Lobster, & Cherries," is an original surrealist ink drawing by David Barnett, signed in upper right. In the work, a lobster transforms into a stalk of bamboo in three stages...
Category
1960s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Ink
"Your New Home, " Abstract Surrealist Landscape Oil Pastel by Reginald K. Gee
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Your New Home" is an original oil pastel drawing on illustration board by Reginald K. Gee. The artist signed the piece lower right. It features abstract, surreal, and biomorphic obj...
Category
1990s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Oil Pastel, Illustration Board
Portrait of Bachoo, Countess Woronzow, 1946
Located in Miami, FL
Powerful pencil study of Bachoo, Countess Woronzow. Tchelitchew exaggerates the sitters features with abnormally large eyes for dramatic effect, Bachoo (Countess Bachoobai Woronzow-D...
Category
1940s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Graphite
"After Rene Magritte with Lips, " Watercolor & Ink signed by David Barnett
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"After Rene Magritte With Lips" is an original watercolor and ink drawing by David Barnett. The artist signed, titled, and dated the piece in the lower right. This artwork depicts a ...
Category
1990s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Ink, Watercolor
Wind in the Garden
By Teri Brudnak
Located in Boston, MA
Artist commentary:
My plants inspire me every day. The garden is a place to recharge your spirit. In this work, the wind has pressed the plants into rhythmic patterns. The patterns ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Mixed Media, Archival Paper
Surrealist Nude Female Figure
Located in Miami, FL
This is an important work that is loaded with Surrealist iconographies. The shape of her hands is echoed in the shape of her hair. Tiny man and woman figures...
Category
1930s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Archival Paper, Graphite
Suitor with Voyeur
Located in Miami, FL
Roy Carruthers is a brilliant mix of George Tooker and Fernando Botero but with unexpected charm.
"The Suitor with Voyeur", A variation of this concept was done in oil twenty years later. "The Venus of Ponte Vedra...
Category
1970s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Graphite
Pocket Nudes
By Jacob Gildor
Located in London, GB
JACOB GILDOR b. 1948
(German / Israeli)
Title: Pocket Nudes, 2007
Technique: Original Hand Signed Collage with Watercolor on cardboard
Size: 25.5 x 30 cm / 10 x 11.8 in
Additional Information: This collage by the Israeli artist Jacob Gildor is hand signed in bleu pen "Gildor" at the lower left of the paper.
It was realised in 2007.
This work is recorded in the artist archive with reference no. 2007-7
Literaute: Jacob Gildor, Segments of Creation: Second Generation, Vol. III, 2009, Israeli Art Museum...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor
Surrealist Composition with Leg and Arm
Located in London, GB
CAMILLE BRYEN 1907-1977 [CAMILLE BRIAND]
Nantes 1907 – 1977 Paris (French)
Title: Surrealist Composition with Leg and Arm, ca 1935
Technique: Original Signed Graphite Drawing...
Category
1930s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Graphite
Stripe Drawing - Illuminant I, 2010
Located in Atlanta, GA
In his evocative, mixed-media sculptures and installations, Nobuhiro Nakanishi aims to bridge the gap between art and life through immersive, time-based images of nature and natural phenomena that come as close as possible to matching how we might perceive them in reality. “By capturing spatial change and the infinite flow...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Pencil
Surrealist composition with Arm (Ink)
Located in London, GB
CAMILLE BRYEN 1907-1977 [CAMILLE BRIAND]
Nantes 1907 – 1977 Paris (French)
Title: Surrealist composition with Arm (Ink), circa 1935
Techn...
Category
1930s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Ink
Boy with Panther
By Jacob Gildor
Located in London, GB
JACOB GILDOR b. 1948
(German / Israeli)
Title: Boy with Panther, 2005
Technique: Original Hand Signed and Inscribed Gouache on cardboard
Size: 35 x 27.8 cm / 13.7 x 10.9 in...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Gouache
Surrealist composition with Arm (Graphite)
Located in London, GB
CAMILLE BRYEN 1907-1977 [CAMILLE BRIAND]
Nantes 1907 – 1977 Paris (French)
Title: Surrealist composition with Arm (Graphite), circa 1935
...
Category
1930s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Graphite
Target (Esravos/Selves)
By Jacob Gildor
Located in London, GB
JACOB GILDOR b. 1948
(German / Israeli)
Title: Target (Esravos/Selves), 2006
Technique: Original Collage, Ink Paper, Sand on Industrial Cardboard.
Size: 46.2 x 33.2 cm / 18...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Ink
"Pink Garden" Gerome Kamrowski, American Surrealist 1947 Expressive Abstraction
Located in New York, NY
Gerome Kamrowski
Pink Garden, 1947
Signed lower left
Watercolor on paper
22 x 30 inches
Gerome Kamrowski was born in Warren, Minnesota, on January 19, 1914. In 1932 he enrolled in ...
Category
1940s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
UNTITLED MOUNTAINS
Located in Santa Monica, CA
EDWARD HAGEDORN (AMERICAN 1902 – 1982)
UNTITLED MOUNTAINS, ca 1935
Tempera, Unsigned. Image 18 x 24 inches. See also 1stdibs item LU411312750272 for another example form the follow...
Category
1930s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Tempera
PLUNGING COMET
Located in Santa Monica, CA
EDWARD HAGEDORN (AMERICAN 1902 – 1982)
PLUNGING COMET - Large Ink and graphite drawing. Signed, titled and dated in pencil. Image, 16 x 22, Sheet 22 1/2 x 28 1/2 inches
See also ...
Category
1930s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Granite
Lincoln's Bullet as a Meteorite
Located in New York, NY
Dionisios Fragias is a New York -based artist born on the Greek island of Kefalonia and raised in New York City. He is the protege of the artist Jeff Koons whose years-long mentorshi...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Steel, Stainless Steel
Moïse, illustration pour la Sainte Bible
Located in Long Island City, NY
A unique and striking watercolor on paper by surrealist Salvador Dali. This painting depicts Moses in bold red paint with a crown of black points emerging from his head. Provenance: ...
Category
1960s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Ink, Watercolor
Lady with the Military Medals, Watercolor and Ink on Paper by Benjamin Benno
Located in Long Island City, NY
Lady with the Military Medals
Benjamin Benno, American (1901–1980)
Date: 1940
Watercolor and ink on paper, signed and dated
Size: 24 x 14.38 in. (60.96 x 36.51 cm)
Frame Size: 27 x 2...
Category
1940s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Ink, Watercolor
Untitled 7, Colored Ink drawing by Benjamin Benno
Located in Long Island City, NY
The Amazon
Benjamin Benno, American (1901–1980)
Date: circa 1940
Colored ink on paper
Size: 14.75 x 21 in. (37.47 x 53.34 cm)
Frame Size: 22 x 28 inches
Category
1940s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Ink
Still Life with Fruit Bowl and Water Jug, Crayon on Paper by Benjamin Benno
Located in Long Island City, NY
Still Life with Fruit Bowl and Water Jug
Benjamin Benno, American (1901–1980)
Date: 1940
Crayon on paper, signed and dated
Size: 13 x 17.13 in. (33.02 x 43.5 cm)
Frame Size: 24.5 x 2...
Category
1940s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Crayon
"Early Morning Light, " Oil on Paper - Abstract Surrealist
Located in Houston, TX
Primal energy leaps from the depths of the universe, as the first rays of daylight break through the dark.
Artwork Details:
Ithipol Thangchalok
"Early Morning Light"
1998
Oil on Pa...
Category
1990s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Oil
Cruxificion
Located in London, GB
Signed in pencil at lower right.
Category
1950s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Crayon, Pencil
Que principio a abrir los ojos
Located in London, GB
Signed in pencil at lower right. Inscribed 'Que principio a abrir los ojos' ('Where to start when you open your eyes') in pencil at lower centre.
Category
1950s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Crayon, Color Pencil
Untitled - Drawing by Wifredo Lam - Ink and Pencil - 1941
By Wifredo Lam
Located in Roma, IT
This extraordinary and rare drawing by Wifredo Lam is one of the artworks that the artist took with him when he moved from Cuba to France. In Paris, Lam showed Picasso his drawings a...
Category
1940s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Ink, Pencil
He's Got Good Hot Dogs
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Jolynn Reigeluth
Title : He’s Got Good Hot Dogs
Materials : India ink, graphite, collage and acrylic
Date : 2017
Dimensions : 55" x 39" in.
Jolynn Reigeluth is an artist an...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
India Ink, Acrylic, Graphite
Carnival Carnivore
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Jolynn Reigeluth
Title : Carnival Carnivore
Materials : India ink, graphite, collage and acrylic
Date : 2019
Dimensions : 40" x 39" in.
Jolynn Reigeluth is an artist and fr...
Category
2010s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Ink, India Ink, Acrylic, Graphite
Exceptional set of complete works, dedicated, with 8 original endpage drawings
By Jean Cocteau
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Jean Cocteau
Exceptional copy of the complete works in 9 volumes, dedicated to Jacques Fonson, 8 with original endpage drawings
Half bound in red morocco with gold lettering
8 volum...
Category
1940s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Gold Leaf
Recherché de l'amour
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Presenting an original scratch board drawing by American artist Darren LeGallo.
"Recherché de l'amour", is executed on scratch board, which is a whit...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Board
From Monkey to Man
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian was born April 14, 1911 in Kutahya, Turkey, of Armenian parents. At the age of three, he showed considerable talent in drawing and painting.
Zorthian ...
Category
1950s Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Watercolor
Everything in Between
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Presenting an original scratch board drawing by American artist Darren LeGallo.
"Everything in Between", is executed on scratch board, which is a whit...
Category
Surrealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Board
Surrealist drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Surrealist drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add drawings and watercolor paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, purple, yellow and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Isabel Rock, Corne Akkers, Maria C. Bernhardsson, and Sergio Barletta. Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Surrealist drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 3.75 inches across are also available. Prices for drawings and watercolor paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $121 and tops out at $224,500, while the average work sells for $1,494.
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