Surrealist More Art
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.
1950s Surrealist More Art
Photogravure
1970s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1970s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1910s Surrealist More Art
Paper
1970s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
20th Century Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1960s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1930s Surrealist More Art
Photogravure
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Canvas, Oil
1950s Surrealist More Art
Ceramic
1970s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1970s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1970s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1960s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1970s Surrealist More Art
Etching, Aquatint, Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A nude female figure floats serenely above the earth, warmed by the glowing lava from deep within the core. Her calm expression and relaxed posture contrast w...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Oil
1960s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1950s Surrealist More Art
Photogravure
1960s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1950s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1960s Surrealist More Art
Paper, Lithograph
1890s Surrealist More Art
Paper
1960s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1930s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1930s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1950s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1970s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
Artist Comments
A towering stack of pancakes, topped with butter and dripping syrup, balances as a plumb line ensures its perfect level. The precise measurement keeps the foo...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Watercolor
1950s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1960s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
Artist Comments
Artist Keith Thomson painted the Flatiron District on Manhattan's West 23rd Street en plein air. One of the most delightful aspect...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Oil
1970s Surrealist More Art
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset, Felt Pen
1970s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1950s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1960s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1930s Surrealist More Art
Handmade Paper
1950s Surrealist More Art
Etching
1930s Surrealist More Art
Paper, Engraving
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1920s Surrealist More Art
Paper
Artist Comments
The artwork portrays the Ten of Pentacles card, symbolizing success, financial satisfaction, and the completion of a wealth cycle. White bison figures, repres...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Oil
1930s Surrealist More Art
Photogravure
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1970s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1910s Surrealist More Art
Paper
1920s Surrealist More Art
Paper
1960s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph, Color
Artist Comments
The artwork depicts the Nine of Pentacles card, symbolizing rapidly growing success, incoming financial satisfaction, and wealth. White bison figures represen...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Oil
1950s Surrealist More Art
Etching, Aquatint
Artist Comments
A slow-moving sea turtle swims with determination, balancing a cupcake on its head. It evokes feelings of solitude, peace, and joy. The artwork, painted over ...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Oil
Early 2000s Surrealist More Art
Glass
1920s Surrealist More Art
Paper
Artist Comments
A surreal portrait of a jaguar overlaid with a glowing peony. "She moves unapologetically through space, through water, through the land," says artist Miranda...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Oil
Early 1900s Surrealist More Art
Paper
Artist Comments
The artwork reflects on the abundance of wildlife in Florida and the constant struggle humans face in controlling nature. Dominating the scene, a giant egret hovers over houses while alligators lurk in the water, signifying the untamable wildness of the environment.
About the Artist
Artist Kat Silver paints surrealist compositions with a whimsical and satirical approach. She draws inspiration from the imagery of her dreams and the symbolisms present in her surroundings. The image of the rabbit has become an important character and signature in Kat's work. For her, they represent power and taking control of one's life. Through her art, she invites the viewer to question the mundanity of daily existence and embrace the magic within them. "I believe human beings have a lot we can learn from nature," says Kat. "If we watch and listen to the earth and all its creatures, we can learn to fully enjoy our lives instead of being caught up in materialism, drama, and stress." Kat started to paint when she was seven years old, with her uncle as her teacher. She received her BA in Painting at Nazareth College in 2001 and succeedingly studied at Drexel University in Philadelphia, where she mastered Art Therapy. Kat works in her home studio on a small desk strewn with supplies—surrounded by walls adorned with artwork that inspires her. Beyond her studio, Kat feeds her soul in nature, exploring wooded parks, forests, oceans, and streams. She often goes to antique shops to spark her creativity.
Words that describe this painting: Florida, wildlife, swamp, surreal, surrealism...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Oil
1960s Surrealist More Art
Lithograph
1920s Surrealist More Art
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1980s Surrealist More Art
Tapestry
