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Surrealist Mixed Media

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
Texas In Fuschia - Vibrant Architectural Colorful Landscape Mixed Media Collage
Texas In Fuschia - Vibrant Architectural Colorful Landscape Mixed Media Collage

Texas In Fuschia - Vibrant Architectural Colorful Landscape Mixed Media Collage

By Maria C. Bernhardsson

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Maria C. Bernhardsson is a colorful artist who lives and paints in Sweden. Most of her works are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Bernhardsson travels the world...

Category

2010s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

My Artificial Gaze -21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Nature Woman
My Artificial Gaze -21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Nature Woman

My Artificial Gaze -21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Nature Woman

By Akanji Bolaji

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

A portrait can tell a story, my artistic pieces highlight the exploration of the complexity of human identity, space and existence. My imagery embodies the unconventional expression ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Glitter, Acrylic

Paradise Flowers - Colorful Floral Still Life Collage Mixed Media Art on Paper
Paradise Flowers - Colorful Floral Still Life Collage Mixed Media Art on Paper

Paradise Flowers - Colorful Floral Still Life Collage Mixed Media Art on Paper

By Maria C. Bernhardsson

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Maria C. Bernhardsson is a Swedish artist whose textured watercolor and collage artworks bring together bold color, geometric structure, and layered visual textures. Florals, foliage...

Category

2010s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Madonna  1997. Paper, mixed media, 20x12 cm
Madonna  1997. Paper, mixed media, 20x12 cm

Madonna 1997. Paper, mixed media, 20x12 cm

Located in Riga, LV

Madonna 1997. Paper, mixed media, 20x12 cm "Madonna" is a symbolic and emotionally charged artwork, celebrating the iconic religious figure of the Virgin Mary and the spiritual sig...

Category

1990s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Sea Otter, Original Painting
Sea Otter, Original Painting

Sea Otter, Original Painting

By Heejin Sutton

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A small otter floats on a pink geometric plane. Below, intersecting blue planes form a sharp angle and give an illusion of depth. In creating this piece, artist...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media

Surreal Collage: 'Watching'
Surreal Collage: 'Watching'

Surreal Collage: 'Watching'

By David Barnett

Located in New York, NY

Combining found elements with those fashioned by my own hand, my work encompasses two- and three-dimensional collage as well as sculptural objects. Infused with a rich sense of histo...

Category

2010s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media

My Imperfection Gaze - 21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Woman
My Imperfection Gaze - 21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Woman

My Imperfection Gaze - 21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Woman

By Akanji Bolaji

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

A portrait can tell a story, my artistic pieces highlight the exploration of the complexity of human identity, space and existence. My imagery embodies the unconventional expression ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Glitter, Acrylic

Fox, Leaf, Original Painting
Fox, Leaf, Original Painting

Fox, Leaf, Original Painting

By Heejin Sutton

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A fox sits atop a bright red geometric plane. Below, a leaf-like pattern fills a blue triangle. Together, the shapes suggest a towering peak. Artist Heejin Sutt...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media

The Devourer, Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Signed, 1987
The Devourer, Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Signed, 1987

The Devourer, Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Signed, 1987

By Robert Dandarov

Located in Astoria, NY

Robert Dandarov (Macedonian/American, b. 1959), The Devourer, Mixed Media on Paper, 1987, signed and dated lower right, ebonized wood frame. Image: 30" H x 22" W'; frame: 32.75" H x...

Category

1980s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Charcoal, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Pencil

The Pink Party - Cute Feminine Still Life Collage Mixed Media Artwork on Paper
The Pink Party - Cute Feminine Still Life Collage Mixed Media Artwork on Paper

The Pink Party - Cute Feminine Still Life Collage Mixed Media Artwork on Paper

By Maria C. Bernhardsson

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Maria C. Bernhardsson is a Swedish artist whose textured watercolor and collage artworks bring together bold color, geometric structure, and layered visual textures. Florals, foliage...

Category

2010s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

NATURE DIALOGUE, Mixed Media on Canvas
NATURE DIALOGUE, Mixed Media on Canvas

NATURE DIALOGUE, Mixed Media on Canvas

By db Waterman

Located in Yardley, PA

The landscape painting NATURE DIALOGUE depicts climate change and drought. A man stands in a steppe desert. The land is parched. Before him looms a water tower, rusted and worn, a...

Category

2010s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media

"Dark Angel", Surrealist Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Signed, 1989
"Dark Angel", Surrealist Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Signed, 1989

"Dark Angel", Surrealist Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Signed, 1989

By Robert Dandarov

Located in Astoria, NY

Robert Dandarov (Macedonian/American, b. 1959), "Dark Angel", Mixed Media on Paper, 1989, depicting a parachuting creature, signed in pencil, titled, and dated lower right, white pai...

Category

1980s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Ink, Watercolor, Pencil

Symbol of Love - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Couple
Symbol of Love - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Couple

Symbol of Love - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Couple

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic

"Garden Temple", Surrealist Landscape, Collage, Acrylic Painting
"Garden Temple", Surrealist Landscape, Collage, Acrylic Painting

"Garden Temple", Surrealist Landscape, Collage, Acrylic Painting

By John Baker

Located in Franklin, MA

John Baker's "Garden Temple" is an acrylic painting on canvas with collage 29 13/16 x 23 7/8 inches in greens and blues. The temple alludes to the veneration of nature, while the col...

Category

2010s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Sailing Through The Day - Abstract Colorful Urban Collage Mixed Media Artwork
Sailing Through The Day - Abstract Colorful Urban Collage Mixed Media Artwork

Sailing Through The Day - Abstract Colorful Urban Collage Mixed Media Artwork

By Maria C. Bernhardsson

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Maria C Bernhardsson's original artworks are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Born in Sweden, Bernhardsson travels the world photographing and sketching houses ...

Category

2010s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Mod Surrealist 1970's Drawing Watercolor Painting Jungle Fantasy, Unicorn, Lion
Mod Surrealist 1970's Drawing Watercolor Painting Jungle Fantasy, Unicorn, Lion

Mod Surrealist 1970's Drawing Watercolor Painting Jungle Fantasy, Unicorn, Lion

Located in Surfside, FL

Jungle fantasy Scene, Ink, Colored ink and color watercolor surreal fantasy scene, birds, giraffes, alligators, snakes, turtles, storks, unicorn and maiden in a tepee, lions and elephants. Laurence L. Donovan Jr. (1927-2001) was a poet, artist, and English professor at the University of Miami, best known for his poetry, much of which was inspired by Florida’s natural beauty. Donovan grew up in southern Florida. His parents were Ruth and Laurence Donovan...

Category

1970s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Valentines Night - Original Romantic Playful Still Life Collage Artwork on Paper
Valentines Night - Original Romantic Playful Still Life Collage Artwork on Paper

Valentines Night - Original Romantic Playful Still Life Collage Artwork on Paper

By Maria C. Bernhardsson

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Maria C. Bernhardsson is a colorful artist who lives and paints in Sweden. Most of her works are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Bernhardsson travels the world...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Salvador Dalí – La Tête ( The Head ) – hand watercolored drypoint etching – 1969
Salvador Dalí – La Tête ( The Head ) – hand watercolored drypoint etching – 1969

Salvador Dalí – La Tête ( The Head ) – hand watercolored drypoint etching – 1969

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Varese, IT

hand watercolored drypoint etching on extremely fine Japanese paper, edited in 1969 limited edition of 145 copies water-colored , numbered in lower left corner ea ( artist proof ) signed in pencil by artist in lower right corner paper size: 38.5 x 28.5 cm framed size: 65 x 55 cm very good conditions Bibliography: Salvador Dalí Catalogue Raisoneé of etchings and mixed media prints Ref 369 pag 178 Fast and Tracked shipping with express currier DHL . We offer professional packaging and tracked shipping with DHL Express courier ( shipping time: 24 hours for European countries and 4 to 6 days for America and other non-eu countries...

Category

1960s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Drypoint, Etching

Melrose Animal House - Abstract Architectural Monochromatic Watercolor Painting
Melrose Animal House - Abstract Architectural Monochromatic Watercolor Painting

Melrose Animal House - Abstract Architectural Monochromatic Watercolor Painting

By Maria C. Bernhardsson

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Maria C. Bernhardsson is a colorful artist who lives and paints in Sweden. Most of her works are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Bernhardsson travels the world...

Category

2010s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Howdy! (Roses) - Original Blue Floral Arrangement in Boot Still Life Artwork
Howdy! (Roses) - Original Blue Floral Arrangement in Boot Still Life Artwork

Howdy! (Roses) - Original Blue Floral Arrangement in Boot Still Life Artwork

By Maria C. Bernhardsson

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Maria C. Bernhardsson is a colorful artist who lives and paints in Sweden. Most of her works are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Bernhardsson travels the world...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

"House of Cards"
"House of Cards"

"House of Cards"

By Natalia Kolpakova 1

Located in Edinburgh, GB

House of Cards is a narrative silk print by Natalia Kolpakova, depicting an impossible card-built architecture containing a central pool where a relaxed figure drifts in orbit of kin...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Silk

Sunrise - Original Cool Tone Abstract Urban Still Life Collage Artwork on Paper
Sunrise - Original Cool Tone Abstract Urban Still Life Collage Artwork on Paper

Sunrise - Original Cool Tone Abstract Urban Still Life Collage Artwork on Paper

By Maria C. Bernhardsson

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Maria C. Bernhardsson is a colorful artist who lives and paints in Sweden. Most of her works are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Bernhardsson travels the world...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

"Sea Horse (Hippocampus)"
"Sea Horse (Hippocampus)"

"Sea Horse (Hippocampus)"

By Natalia Kolpakova 1

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Sea Horse (Hippocampus) is a fine-art silk print by Natalia Kolpakova, depicting a monumental seahorse-shell transformed into an inhabited Trojan vessel. Combining surrealist archite...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Silk

"Picador" 1966 Experimental Surrealist Composition
"Picador" 1966 Experimental Surrealist Composition

"Picador" 1966 Experimental Surrealist Composition

By Morris Broderson 1

Located in Soquel, CA

"Picador" 1966 Experimental Surrealist Composition Intriguing mixed-media piece by prominent California artist Morris Broderson (b. 1928 d. 2011.) A picador sits upon his horse, hol...

Category

1960s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Graphite, Pinhole, Color Pencil

Koala, Coral Reef, Original Painting
Koala, Coral Reef, Original Painting

Koala, Coral Reef, Original Painting

By Heejin Sutton

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A koala peeks out from a turquoise arch against a soft orange background. Across the composition, a coral reef sits within a smaller pink arch. Artist Heejin Su...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media

"Spike Milligan (If)"
"Spike Milligan (If)"

"Spike Milligan (If)"

By Natalia Kolpakova 1

Located in Edinburgh, GB

"Spike Milligan(If) is a riotous homage to absurdity, theatricality, and the razor wit of British humor. This surreal silk composition draws inspiration from Milligan’s nonsensical p...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Silk

Surreal Collage: 'Arduous Journey'
Surreal Collage: 'Arduous Journey'

Surreal Collage: 'Arduous Journey'

By David Barnett

Located in New York, NY

Combining found elements with those fashioned by my own hand, my work encompasses two- and three-dimensional collage as well as sculptural objects. Infused with a rich sense of histo...

Category

2010s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media

Cuando la Luna Llora
Cuando la Luna Llora

Cuando la Luna Llora

By Tomo Mori

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
This is about the beauty of feeling freely what you need to feel. It's okay to cry, process, and let go. I had this vision during my stay in the Caribbean, where I felt very open. This painting is on a gallery wrapped canvas with finished bla...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media

Mirage (ex Reader's Digest Art Collection) Op Art Surreal renowned female artist
Mirage (ex Reader's Digest Art Collection) Op Art Surreal renowned female artist

Mirage (ex Reader's Digest Art Collection) Op Art Surreal renowned female artist

Located in New York, NY

Edna Andrade Mirage (de-accessioned from the Reader's Digest Art Collection), 1988 Original Collage painting on board Signed, titled & dated on the front; the back bears labels from Marian Locks Gallery & Readers Digest Association with inventory (RDA) number Original frame included with collection and gallery labels verso This is a unique work Exquisite 1980s collage on board painting (framed) titled "Mirage" by renowned female Op artist Edna Andrade...

Category

1980s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media, Acrylic, Board

"Full head"
"Full head"

"Full head"

By Natalia Kolpakova 1

Located in Edinburgh, GB

"Full head: As in the bosom o’ the stream"" is a monumental silk scarf artwork (135x135cm) exploring the intersection of poetic nostalgia and modern myth. This immersive piece draws ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Silk

I Only Have Eyes for You, Original Painting
I Only Have Eyes for You, Original Painting

I Only Have Eyes for You, Original Painting

By Darlene McElroy

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A stylized skull represents La Catalina, a well-known symbol of Día de los Muertos. In countries like Mexico, deceased ancestors are honored with vibrant decorations, candles, and photos. Artist Darlene McElroy captured this celebration of life through a mixed-media approach, using dimensional collage materials and acrylic paint to bring the tradition to life.


About the Artist
Artist Darlene McElroy weaves textural surfaces, found objects, and rich symbolism to create a visual tapestry. "Creating a painting is like doing a puzzle; it is a matter of finding the right pieces," says Darlene. Her works delve into the imagery of man's primal origins, sins, and religious conflicts, inviting viewers to uncover multiple stories within each piece. A Southern California native with roots in a long line of New Mexico artists and musicians, Darlene's artistic vision is profoundly shaped by her Hispanic upbringing. With her three dogs by her side, Darlene works in her home studio, filled with natural light pouring in through the windows. Beyond her art, Darlene explores new techniques, writes art books, and hikes with her pets.


Words that describe this painting: face, woman, decorations, Catalina, Mexico, Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, celebration, floral, ancestors, mask, butterfly...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media

Surrealist drawing by California artist Daniel 'Zev' Harris
Surrealist drawing by California artist Daniel 'Zev' Harris

Surrealist drawing by California artist Daniel 'Zev' Harris

By Zev Daniel Harris

Located in Colfax, CA

Surrealist composition by Daniel 'Zev' Harris. Zev, meaning 'wolf' in Hungarian, was the name the artist chose for himself in 1953. He was born Daniel Harris. He studied at the Mas...

Category

1950s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Italian Pop Art Mixed Media Surrealist Painting Collage Gouache Emilio Tadini
Italian Pop Art Mixed Media Surrealist Painting Collage Gouache Emilio Tadini

Italian Pop Art Mixed Media Surrealist Painting Collage Gouache Emilio Tadini

By Emilio Tadini

Located in Surfside, FL

Emilio Tadini (1927-2002) Original Collage, Gouache and Watercolor painting. Dimensions: 41 X 29.5. framed. 39.75 X 28 artwork Emilio Tadini (1927 – 2002 ) was an Italian painter,...

Category

20th Century Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Paint, Paper, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Gouache

Contact
Contact

AiromContact

$2,400Sale Price|20% Off

Contact

By Airom

Located in Santa Monica, CA

Painting depicts contact, ambiguous as to whether it could be adverse contact or intimate contact between the focal characters.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

India Ink, Oil

Une Pyramide en Colère, Micro-Painting on Leather by Max Ernst
Une Pyramide en Colère, Micro-Painting on Leather by Max Ernst

Une Pyramide en Colère, Micro-Painting on Leather by Max Ernst

By Max Ernst

Located in Roma, IT

Micro picture, gouache on paper mounted on black leather. Belonging to the serie “Microbes”. Interestingly, it is unusually mounted on a black leather surface whose shape reminds th...

Category

1940s Surrealist Mixed Media

Materials

Leather, Gouache, Cardboard

Surrealist mixed media for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Surrealist mixed media 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 mixed media created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Heejin Sutton, Libby Ramage, Michele Luger, and Max Ernst. Frequently made by artists working with Mixed Media, and Paper 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 mixed media, so small editions measuring 4 inches across are also available. Prices for mixed media 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 $112 and tops out at $179,950, while the average work sells for $1,711.