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.
The Colors of Los Angeles - Large Abstract City Landscape Painting on Canvas
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 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
House on a Hill 2 - Abstract Colorful Architectural Landscape Painting on Canvas
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 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$4,988Sale Price|28% Off
In Spite of it All (Window, Skyscape, Warm, Dreamy, ~29% OFF)
By Annieo Klaas
Located in Kansas City, MO
Annieo Klaas In Spite of it All 2024 Oil on Canvas 84 x 48 inches (213.36 x 121.92 cm) Signed lower right COA provided *On stretcher frame - gallery wrapped - ready to hang Annieo ...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
$1,425
The Family - Abstract Colorful Architectural Landscape Painting on Canvas
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 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
A Unique, Modern Surrealist Beach Scene, Bathers, Hyde Park, Chicago
Located in Chicago, IL
A Unique, Visually Striking, Surrealist Mid-Century Modern Abstract Beach Scene by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Depicting an abstracted female bathers stan...
Oil, Canvas, Board
$799Sale Price|20% Off
Stallion and a Unicorn -21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract, African, Horse
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
A Stallion and a Unicorn explores the duality of action and aspiration, grounding us in the tension between lived reality and imagined possibility. The stallion embodies patriotism r...
Canvas, Acrylic
Surrealist Landscape Oil Painting, 20th Century, Framed, 30 x 24.25 in
Located in Beachwood, OH
Surrealist Landscape Oil on canvas 'R. Lee Glenn' verso 30 x 24.25 inches 31.75 x 26.75 inches, framed Surrealism aims to revolutionize human experience. It balances a rational visi...
Oil
$1,642Sale Price|63% Off
Nudist Woman Surrealist Oil Painting, Signed, Mid-20th Century
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Nudist Women, Signed Oil Painting By French artist Claude Benard, (1926 - 2016) Signed by the artist on the lower left hand corner, Oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas size: 32 x...
Oil
Île Saint-Louis - River Seine Paris France Surrealist Oil on Board Painting
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
* No US duty or taxes to pay on this item * A very beautiful signed and dated 1972 oil on board depicting a surrealist view of the Île Saint-Louis in Paris at sunset. Striking and ...
Oil, Board
Desert Goddess / - Transcendental Realism -
Located in Berlin, DE
Karin Hauke, Desert Goddess, 1976. Oil on wood, 70 x 50 cm (image size), 73 cm x 53 cm (frame), signed “K. HAUKE” lower right and dated “[19]76.” - Small flaking in the lower area, o...
Oil
$3,120Sale Price|20% Off
The Happy Couple, Mid Century Surrealist Fantasy Landscape by Ohio artist
By Mary Spain
Located in Beachwood, OH
Mary Spain (American, 1934-1983) The Happy Couple Oil on canvas Signed middle right, signed and titled verso 22 x 26 inches Set in a realm of fantasy, Mary Spain’s work exhibits oddly distorted figures in a child-like manner with an underlying sense of absurdity. Through her toylike and primitive style, Spain created surrealistic dramas that puzzle and entrance the viewer. Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Mary Spain studied art at Syracuse University and moved to Ohio in the 1960s to teach art at Chagrin Falls...
Oil
$1,275
Don't Let Us Fade Away - Original Colorful Mixed Media Surrealist Landscape Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Robert Lebsack creates artworks using mixed media with ink, acrylic, and charcoal on archival copies of newspapers, textbooks, and sheet music. As a visionary artist, Lebsack weaves ...
Paper, Charcoal, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$1,997Sale Price|25% Off
Vintage Oil Painting of Fantasy Cottage in the Woods with Flowers & Gardens
Located in Preston, GB
Vintage Oil Painting of Fantasy Cottage in the Woods with Flowers & Gardens Art measures 36 x 24 inches Frame measures 40 x 28 inches
Canvas, Oil
$1,290Sale Price|40% Off
Queen of the Chanterelles - Surrealist Figurative in Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
Queen of the Chanterelles - Surrealist Figurative in Acrylic on Canvas Bright, fantastical composition by TEMBO (20th Century). A woman is depicted in profile, head slightly tilted ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Intriguing Surrealist Painting of Downtown Chicago by James Mesplé
Located in Chicago, IL
An Intriguing 1991 Surrealist painting of downtown Chicago by artist James Mesplé. Oil and tempera on panel. Signed and dated "James Mesplé 1991", lower right; titled on label on ...
Oil, Tempera, Panel
The Moment
Located in Zofingen, AG
The Moment After the dark night of the soul, there will always be the sun. After darkness, dawn always comes. “The Moment” is a space between night and light, between what has alread...
Canvas, Acrylic
Surreal Landscape - Mid 20th Century English Surrealist Oil on Canvas Painting
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
A beautiful 1960's English oil on canvas depicting a surrealist landscape with rainbow and gilt framed painting on a wall. A stunning and unusual painting presented in a bespoke gilt...
Canvas, Oil
The Familiar Wild - original surrealist painting- contemporary landscape artwork
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,718
A Stroll Through the Forest, Original surrealism wildlife painting-Realism
Located in London, Chelsea
Gallery service: Complimentary worldwide shipping is offered, with Signet Contemporary Art covering all tariffs, customs duties and import taxes, making international collecting simp...
Canvas, Acrylic
$749Sale Price|20% Off
Classical Sculpture Fragments Painting Cut Paper Relief Sunset Landscape Art
By Gozo
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Surrealist acrylic painting on cut paper and mounted panel, depicting fragmented sculptures across a dreamlike sunset terrain. This original work by Gozo Collective is part of the Fr...
Paper, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$2,109
Glacier and Distant Fire, Climate Change Surrealist Arctic Seascape Oil Painting
By Raúl Álvarez
Located in FISTERRA, ES
A towering blue glacier overlooks a distant fire in this Arctic seascape oil painting, where frozen cliffs, dark smoke and orange flames evoke a landscape under threat. Created by S...
Canvas, Oil
$2,400
"Hecate's Moon" (2025) Original Surrealist Lakeshore Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Robin Hextrum's "Hecate's Moon" is an original oil painting on cradled wooden panel. This piece is framed at 23.5" by 29.5". Artist Statement: This painting is part of my "Magical R...
Oil, Linen
The Summer Houses - Architectural Cool Tone Still Life Mixed Media Collage
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...
Paper, Mixed Media
"The Game of Time", Surrealist Oil on Canvas, 1967
Located in Astoria, NY
John Philip Capello (American, b. 1939), "The Game of Time", Oil on Canvas, 1967, signed lower right, signed, titled, dated, and artist's stamp verso, giltwood frame. Image: 28.5" H...
Canvas, Oil
$2,076Sale Price|20% Off
Huge 1970's British Surrealist Abstract Signed Oil Male Figures through Window
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: British, circa 1970's, signed and inscribed verso Title: 'Reflections' Medium: oil on canvas, framed Framed: 37.5 x 25.5 inches Canvas : 36 x 24 inches Provenanc...
Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Tramp (pet dog, beagle, troubadour guitare, animal portrait, surrealist painting
By Rudolf Kosow
Located in Quebec, Quebec
"Tramp," by Rudolf Kosow, is a whimsical painting that delights in its surreal juxtaposition of scale and serenity. At the center is a beagle's face, depicted with lifelike detail and expressiveness, eyes glistening with a calm intelligence that beckons the viewer into a state of contemplation. Positioned against the backdrop of the dog's vast visage, a small, solitary figure strums a guitar. The musician, dressed in casual attire, appears as a wandering troubadour, his music resonating with the quietude of the scene. This miniature man, though diminutive in size, plays a significant role in the narrative, providing a sense of companionship and shared experience. The painting's title, "Tramp," suggests a free spirit, both in the itinerant musician and the beagle, known for its adventurous and exploratory nature. Kosow's piece is an ode to the wandering souls and the moments of unexpected harmony they encounter. Through "Tramp," we are reminded of the melodies that score our journeys and the silent kinship we find along the way. It is an invitation to embrace the music of life, to find connection in the tranquility of existence, and to acknowledge the symphonies that unfold in the presence of kindred spirits, regardless of their size or form. keywords; painting on canvas, surrealist painting, animal vs human, americana, nature, man, man vs nature, surrealism, giant animal...
Canvas, Oil
Israeli Large Vibrant Surrealist Flowers Oil Painting
By Milia Laufer
Located in Surfside, FL
Milia Laufer, born Romania. From 1951 lived and worked in Safed. Together with her husband opened one of the earliest galleries in Israel, in Tiberias. Worked in watercolors and oils...
Canvas, Oil
Algun Dia - figurative painting, landscape painting
Located in New York, NY
This beautiful surrealist painting by Mauricio comes rolled in a tube and needs to be stretched when received. In his pieces, Mauricio combines his figurative expertise along with su...
Canvas, Oil
Surreal Landscape by Italian Artist Lanfranco Finocchioli
Located in New York, NY
Lanfranco Finocchioli (Italian, b. 20th century) Sognando Capri (Dreaming of Capri), 2003 Oil on canvas 13 3/4 x 19 5/8 in. Framed: 19 1/4 x 23 1/4 x 1 1/8 in. Signed and dated lower...
Canvas, Oil
$6,368Sale Price|20% Off
Banana (yellow banana blue sky vintage hat man surrealist oil painting grey)
By Rudolf Kosow
Located in Quebec, Quebec
A surreal composition blending hyperrealism and vintage nostalgia, Banana presents an oversized, hyper-detailed banana floating in a muted blue sky. Below, a black-and-white, early 2...
Canvas, Oil
"Pink Moon, " Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Sara Scribner's (US based) "Pink Moon" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a realistic portrait of a feminine form cradling a small moon i...
Oil, Panel
$3,500
A Charming 1940s Mid-Century Modern Oil, Summer Night, Vermont, "English Dance"
Located in Chicago, IL
A Charming, 1940s Mid-Century Modern Landscape Oil Painting of a Summer Night in Vermont, "English Dance" by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Depicting a livel...
Oil, Canvas
Texas In Fuschia - Vibrant Architectural Colorful Landscape Mixed Media Collage
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...
Paper, Mixed Media
Surrealism : the Garden of Eden - Original Oil Painting, Handsigned
Located in Paris, IDF
Meyer LAZAR (1923-1995) Surrealism : the Garden of Eden, 1980 Original oil painting Signed lower right On wood panel 37 x 36 cm (c. 14 x 14 in) Excellent condition
Oil
$6,000
Italian Modernist Surrealist Architecture Landscape Oil Painting Lazzaro Donati
Located in Surfside, FL
Lazzaro Donati (Italian, 1926-1977) Oil on board. Colorful Architectural Italian Landscape. Porto Azzurro, 1964 Hand signed upper right. signed, titled on back of panel. Dimensions:...
Oil, Panel
Blue Sky Village - Abstract Colorful Architectural Landscape Painting on Canvas
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 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Antique Italian Super Realist Surreal Landscape Framed Signed Modern Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique Italian modernist landscape oil painting. Oil on board. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Brooklyn, NY collection. Measuring: 23 by 33 inches overall. Handsomely framed in d...
Oil, Board
City Layers - Abstract Colorful Architectural Landscape Painting on Canvas
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 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Moon Glow, " Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Sara Scribner's (US based) "Moon Glow" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a realistic portrait of a feminine form holding a full moon in ...
Oil, Panel
$553Sale Price|23% Off
Surrealist Watercolour/Gouache on Paper. 'The Birth of Sculpture''
Located in Cotignac, FR
Late 20th century surrealist gouache and watercolour on paper by British artist Derek Carruthers. The painting is signed to the bottom right and title...
Paper, Watercolor, Gouache
$880Sale Price|20% Off
"Upstate", Surrealist Landscape, Farm, Red, Green, Collage, Acrylic Painting
By John Baker
Located in Franklin, MA
John Baker's "Upstate" is an acrylic painting on canvas with collage 20 x 16 inches in greens, reds and tans. The organization of space and surface brings order to farm and town, whi...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Saguaro - Framed Abstract Colorful Architectural Landscape Painting on Canvas
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 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Urban Life - Abstract Earthy Tone Architectural Landscape Painting on Canvas
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 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,600
Surrealist Oil Painting Circus Horse Scene Lionel Kalish Fantasy Scene New York
Located in Surfside, FL
Lionel Kalish (American B.1931) Hand signed lower right Oil on canvas Titled: "The Arrival" Dimensions: (Frame) H 22" x W 28" (Sight) H 25.5" x W 19.75" Modernist circus scene depicting nude people...
Canvas, Oil
Ba Ba Ba Ma Tri dom
By Valton Tyler
Located in Dallas, TX
In The New York Times Arts in America column, Edward M. Gomez writes of Valton Tyler, "visionary seems the right word for describing his vivid, unusual and technically refined painti...
Canvas, Oil
Lucky Road - Abstract Large Scale Lively Geometric Landscape Painting on Canvas
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 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Twin Trees at Sunrise - Architectural Colorful Still Life Mixed Media Collage
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...
Paper, Mixed Media
$1,080Sale Price|20% Off
Homeland - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract, African Nature, Landscape
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Homeland is a stylized and emotive interpretation of the American landscape, infused with the resonance of Yoruba wisdom. In Yoruba, the proverb Ile l’abo simi oko teaches that home ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Rooftop Views - Framed Abstract Colorful Pastel Architectural Painting on Canvas
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 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
"As Seen From Mars" - Surrealist Still-Life, Acrylic and Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
This piece rests at 12 inches by 12 inches, and is wired for hanging. Artist Bio: Shelli Langdale is an American artist living and painting in Chattanooga, TN. She has a Bachelor of...
Oil, Panel, Acrylic
$1,278Sale Price|20% Off
Mythological Oil Painting Depicting a Mystical Scene with Figures French 20th C
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Mystical Scene with Figures by Guy Nicod (French 1923 - 2021) signed oil on canvas laid on board, framed Framed: 35.5 x 27 inches Canvas: 32.5 x 24 inches Provenance: private collec...
Oil
$1,100
"Extensive Park in Springtime", Surrealist Landscape, Collage, Acrylic Painting
By John Baker
Located in Franklin, MA
John Baker's "Extensive Park in Springtime" is an acrylic painting on canvas with collage 20 x 16 inches in saturated light and mid-range greens and tans with pale pink accents. The ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,968Sale Price|20% Off
At the destination - Contemporary Acrylic Painting, Vibrant colors, Landscape
Located in Warsaw, PL
*Painting will be available after 6.06.2021* Marta Rynkiewicz is a young Polish artist born in 1983. She studied painting with Professor Henryk Czenik and graphic arts with Profes...
Canvas, Acrylic
The House at the End of the Road - Original Framed Blue Floral Artwork on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carlos Gamez de Francisco’s "The House at the End of the Road" is a striking blend of hyperrealism, figurative surrealism, and imaginative narrative art. This 12-inch round acrylic p...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,100
A Unique, Surrealist 1960s Mid-Century Modern Chicago City Scene with Figures
Located in Chicago, IL
A Unique, Lively 1960s Surrealist Mid-Century Modern Abstract City Scene by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Titled "Figures in a City Street", depicting an ab...
Masonite, Oil
Pantheum Moonlight, Early 20th century surrealist landscape, Cleveland School
Located in Beachwood, OH
Ferdinand Burgdorff (American, 1881-1975) Pantheum Moonlight, 1916 Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower right 16 x 24 inches 21.5 x 29.5 inches, framed Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Ferd...
Oil
$1,996Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Signed Surreal Street Scene Skeleton Modernist Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist surreal oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed illegibly.
Canvas, Oil
Antique American Precisionist Coastal Beach Town Framed Seascape Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist beach town oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. Measuring: 22 by 26 inches overall, and 20 by 24 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to hang and e...
Oil
$4,781Sale Price|40% Off
Large Scale Surrealist Oil on Canvas, 'At the Watering Hole'.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Large late 20th century oil on canvas of animals at the watering hole by British artist Derek Carruthers. Signed to the bottom right. A magical, highly colourful and energetic paint...
Canvas, Oil
$4,640Sale Price|20% Off
Ya te Olvide - figurative painting, landscape painting, surreal painting
Located in New York, NY
This beautiful surrealist painting by Mauricio comes rolled in a tube and needs to be stretched when received. In his pieces, Mauricio combines his figurative expertise along with su...
Canvas, Oil