Surrealist Animal Paintings
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.
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Part of artist Michael Wedge's series explores the contrast between urban and rural environments. This surrealist painting depicts the installation of some digital technology in an unlikely place in nature. A woman prepares to climb up the ladder while another approaches with an open laptop and an extension wire at hand. They are busy in the middle of an open field with a fox wandering between them and deers grazing in the distance.
About the Artist
Michael Wedge works in a variety of mediums: sculpture, painting, mixed media and more. He oftentimes starts with a mental image and creates digital collages, which become the basis for his paintings. A lot of his work references themes from his personal life, such as the experience of living in a city versus in the countryside. If his art seems mysterious, it;s because he enjoys making complex works. "I am attracted to images or moments that seem to have something subtle or hidden under the surface," he explains. When he;s not making art, he teaches it at an elementary school.
Words that describe this painting: surrealism...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
The painting reinterprets the Six of Pentacles tarot card, delving into the concept of gaining material wealth and enjoying one's work. The green hues symboli...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
As a part of artist Rachel Srinivasan's Rodeo Series, the painting explores the symbolism of the five pentacles tarot card. The prominent green hues carry meanings of wealth, abundance, growth, and a connection to nature. The white bison adds a layer of mysticism, representing the power of the supernatural. Galloping horses adorn the edges, adding an intriguing touch to the composition.
About the Artist
For Rachel Srinivasan, an idea is worth putting on a canvas only if it still feels exciting after a few days. Rachel enjoys mulling the idea over in her mind for some time before creating an artwork. She hopes viewers will engage with her work and wonder about the subject matter, shapes and colors. "My current work is all about creating a connection between the person on the canvas with the viewer," she explains. She prefers large paintings and sometimes even makes her own canvases. She currently lives in Arizona and enjoys baking rhubarb pies, reading, running and going to art museums.
Words that describe this painting: tarot, wealth, abundance, magic, mystical, cards, oracle, white bison, buffalo...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A woman character is shown floating near an open window, where a giant bluebird is waiting as a spirit animal guide. The bird serves as a reminder to not give...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Paper, Pen
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Chalk, Pastel, Archival Paper, Pencil, Color Pencil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
1940s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Paint, Mixed Media, Archival Paper, Pen
Artist Comments
Artist Rachel Srinivasan's surrealistic piece combines the traditional symbolism of the tarot card with the image of a white bison and eight crossed swords. T...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
1990s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Early 2000s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Guigen Zha paints a giant blooming peony in lush shades of pink. As the national flower of China, they represent prosperity and nobility. A silhouette of a deer stands in the foreground, silent and majestic. The animal is a symbol of peace and happiness in Chinese culture. Together, they express sources of noble associations and interpretations. Guigen explores the sublime parallels between humans, animals, and nature.
About the Artist
Words that describe this painting: healing, peony, deer, animal, belief, landscape, floral, poetic, oilpaint, flower, surrealism, animals, nature, surrealism, oil painting, pink
One Blossom One World...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil, Panel
Artist Comments
Artist Guigen Zha paints red lotus flowers under the shining sun. Square blocks of gradient color fill the fragmented scene. He pain...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Gold Leaf
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Rachel Srinivasan manifests a representation of a tarot card. She paints a robust white bison in the center of five silver swords, standing on a pentagram in ...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
"This painting is a part of both my Tarot series and my Power Bison series," shares artist Rachel Srinivasan. "In tarot, the two of swords is about decisions,...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
The bison and the beetle have a prehistoric elegance about them that I thought would compliment each other perfectly. Symbolically, both represent life and mortality, which has been on my mind lately. To Native Americans, bison are symbolic of sacred life and abundance. And in ancient greek mythology the beetle became revered as a symbol of rebirth and immortality -- its daily journey across the sky became an allegory of human life. The Wallpaper collection is a juxtaposition of masculine meets feminine. I wanted to create a unique series that stands apart from traditional nature paintings, where the wild and somewhat prehistoric aspects of my animals featured contrast against their delicate backdrops. In addition to this, many of my paintings are created with a little bit of underlying symbolism usually sparked from a world event or life moment that I am experiencing. I concentrate on this theme as a therapeutic mantra throughout the creation of the painting. For each painting, different techniques and layers of design are implemented when creating the wall paper effect. To keep the patterns consistent I create a stencil to outline the shapes of my hummingbirds, bugs and fish, and then I hand paint each shape individually. In the areas where I wanted a little more chaos, I would forgo the stencil and eyeball each design. My animals are always painted first, and then I layout the design around them.
About the Artist
Australian-born Alana Clumeck...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Acrylic
Early 2000s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1990s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Gold Leaf
Artist Comments
A robot elephant balances an heirloom tomato and a pot of daisy flower on its head. This is artist Diane Flick's first painting using AI-generated reference p...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Archival Ink, Oil
20th Century Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Surrealist Animal Paintings
Birch, Oil, Wood Panel
20th Century Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
20th Century Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Egg Tempera, Illustration Board
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil
1980s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Oil, Linen
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Canvas, Oil
