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Surrealist Portrait 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
Villosa
Located in Dallas, TX
This work was featured at ComplexCon 2019 - November 2nd and 3rd in Long Beach, CA.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Wood, Oil

Pension Fund
Located in Aberdeen Dyce, GB
The picture "Pension Fund" is included in the series of artworks "Pathos of the Bureaucracy". 100x100cm / oil on canvas/ 2019 The picture is ready t...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mixed Media Painting on Masonite -- Portrait by Mario Martin del Campo
Located in Troy, NY
This mixed media painting on masonite is a portrait of a Renaissance figure. The background is a light taupe color with a delineated profile of the face. The signature is on the front, bordering the figure's cape. The work is sold framed. Although the painting itself is in marvelous condition, the original wood frame has some slight imperfections on the top and sides, as pictured. Mario Martin del...
Category

1970s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Paint, Masonite, Mixed Media

Untitled. 2002, oil on wood, 57x17, 5 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Untitled. 2002, oil on wood, 57x17,5 cm Man face on red background with flower Kaspars Perskis (1975) was born in Riga, Latvia. This is where he studied painting and was granted a ...
Category

Early 2000s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood

Arabian Night, Stylised, Bright Colours, Oil Painting, Signed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Arabian Night, Stylised, Bright Colours, Oil Painting, Signed By British artist, Kate Orr, 20th Century Signed by the artist verso Oil painting on board, framed Framed size: 23 x 31 ...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

surreal woman face oil on canvas painting
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Miquel Torner de Semir (1938) - Surrealist figure - Oil on canvas Oil measures 46x38 cm. Frameless. Miquel Torner de Semir (1938) Catalan painter attracted by the Middle Ages and I...
Category

1990s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Self Chaperone", surrealist, woman, portrait, mixed media, acrylic painting
Located in Boston, MA
John Baker’s “Self-Chaperone” is an acrylic painting on canvas with collage 28 x 22 inches in flesh tones, yellows and greys. The portrait depicts the inner conflict between uninhibi...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

"The Lonely Crowd", surrealist, portrait, mixed media, acrylic painting
Located in Boston, MA
John Baker’s “The Lonely Crowd” is a multi-colored acrylic painting on canvas with collage 40 x 60 inches. Blues, yellows and greens predominate while reds provide color accents. The...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Resurrection (Study)
Located in Dallas, TX
A trailblazer in Contemporary Figurative Op Art, Garant's oil paintings blend graphic elements with traditional portraiture techniques. She pioneers analogue Glitch Art, employing pa...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Eating and Drinking I", surrealist, red, green, yellow, acrylic painting
Located in Boston, MA
John Baker’s “Eating and Drinking I” is an acrylic painting on canvas with collage 24 x 30 inches in reds, greens and yellows against a neutral background. What at first glance appea...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Mixed Media, Canvas

"Eating and Drinking II", surrealist, red, green, yellow, acrylic painting
Located in Boston, MA
John Baker’s “Eating and Drinking II” is an acrylic painting on canvas with collage 24 x 30 inches in yellows, reds and greens on a neutral background. In one sense an illustration o...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

"Eating at the Airline Diner", surrealist, red, blue, yellow, acrylic painting
Located in Boston, MA
John Baker’s “Eating at the Airline Diner” is an acrylic on canvas with collage 30 x 30 inches in reds, yellows and blues with green accents. The iconic diner, in Queens, New York, i...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Mixed Media, Canvas

"Man Adjusting his Tie", surrealist, green, red, blue, yellow, acrylic painting
Located in Boston, MA
John Baker’s “Man Adjusting his Tie” is an acrylic painting on canvas 24 x 18 inches in greens and reds with blue and yellow color accents. The disheveled appearance of the man impli...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

"Diver" Contemporary Figurative Surrealist Portrait painting
Located in East Quogue, NY
"Diver" - Surrealist portrait painting of a female emerging from the water with a pearl on her tongue by Paul Green. Acrylic on panel. Signed on back by art...
Category

1990s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Wood Panel

Yves Bady AL-Dahdah (Lebanese 1941) Lady of the Moon, 1981, Surrealist Painting
Located in Meinisberg, CH
Yves Bady AL-Dahdah (Lebanese, 1942) Lady of the Moon • Oil or Acrylic on heavy fiber board ca. 46 x 38 cm x 0.5 cm • Signed and dated lower left (19)81 • Good, untouched original ...
Category

1980s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Paint, Fiberboard

Surrealist Painting, "After the Rains"
Located in San Diego, CA
This is a one of a kind original oil on panel surrealist painting by San Diego artist, Kelley Sutphin. Its dimensions are 14.4"x26.4"x1.5". It is framed. A certificate of authenticit...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Murdered doll acrylic on board painting surrealism Ubeda
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gustavo Úbeda (1930-1994) - Murdered doll - Acrylic panel Acrylic measurements 61x91 cm. Frameless. The painting by Gustavo Úbeda Romero (Herencia, 1930 – Sao Paulo, 1994) comes fro...
Category

1970s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Family Portrait, Large Surrealist Oil Painting Mother, Children, Neo Surrealism
Located in Surfside, FL
Hank Laventhol (1927–2001) was an American painter and master print maker. He worked in painting, graphics, sculpture and photography. Associated with ...
Category

1950s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Egg Girls on a bike
Located in Sempach, LU
I’ve written a book based on my Egg people and Characters such as the Conspirators. It is a fantasy novel that takes place in Egg Island and London. The story has a mix of good and bad characters, full of excitement, sadness, and intrigue. Egg Island is a mysterious place where you can find all sorts of creatures, such as dolphins, including a giant one as big as a ship and one even bigger one that sleeps at the bottom of the sea. Baboons who think they own the place, firebugs light up the village, giant turtles protect kids while swimming, Bright orange coconut crabs...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Dancing Lovers
Located in Sempach, LU
In this oil painting, I've blended abstract, figurative, and surreal elements to capture the fluid motion and raw emotion of an intimate dance. The intertwining forms, awash in shade...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Lovers, I’ll put a spell on you. (I was listening to Nina Simone)
Located in Sempach, LU
Each of the Lovers comes from Ta's memory and imagination, "my feelings, my memories, some good, some not so good, but I try to focus on the good ones, a dance I remember, a hug afte...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Goddess the Violinist and Swan
Located in Sempach, LU
As the artist, I've poured my soul into this canvas, blending oils to evoke a sense of enigmatic allure and surreal wonder. With each stroke, I've strived to weave a narrative that t...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Surrealist Watercolour and Mixed Media, "Ne Nastupit bui!" (Wouldn't Come!).
Located in Cotignac, FR
Late 20th century mixed media surrealist painting by Yuri Ilyich Kononenko. Titled 'Ne Nastupit Bui!' (Wouldn't Come!). Signed with artists symbol bottom left. Fully signed, dated an...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Paper, Crayon, Watercolor, Pencil

Conspirators you saying it's me?
Located in Sempach, LU
Ta's collection of conspirators is full of mischief and secrecy. Each character is always up to something naughty or scheming a dodgy deal, "I want a desperado feel to it, moody as i...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

High Drama Adventure Scene - Italian Illustrator Mid-Century Jules Verne
Located in Miami, FL
Original illustration was done by Renna for the novel "Journey to the Center of the Earth" by Jules Verne, published in 1963. What makes this work special is how brilliantly the subj...
Category

1960s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Illustration Board, Tempera

I Am Not Alone 1
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"I Am Not Alone" by Joshua Salami is a captivating artwork that delves into the profound bond between a woman and her cherished pet, transcending the conventional role of a companion...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

The plotting of the Conspirators
Located in Sempach, LU
In this vivid oil painting, I embraced cubism and surreal influences to create an ensemble of enigmatic figures, each cloaked in vibrant, contrasting colors, with intense, penetratin...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

I Am Not Alone 2
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"I Am Not Alone" by Joshua Salami is a captivating artwork that delves into the profound bond between a woman and her cherished pet, transcending the conventional role of a companion...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Surreal harlequin oil on board painting expressionism Ubeda
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gustavo Úbeda (1930-1994) - Surrealist Harlequin - Oil panel Oil measurements 41x50 cm. Frame measurements 44x53 cm. The painting by Gustavo Úbeda Romer...
Category

1970s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

10 Angry Men
Located in Sempach, LU
I have sent my work to over 65 countries and some significant landmarks such as Berkeley Square in London’s Mayfair, 5th Ave New York, Malibu beach in California Hong Kong, Monaco, M...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Conversation With Myself
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Conversation With Myself" delves into the realms of self-discovery and introspection. The young man's introspective pose invites viewers to reflect on their inner dialogue and explo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Portrait of Suzanne Steinbacher - Austrian Surrealism
Located in London, GB
The work is unsigned. Provenance: Given directly by the artist to the present owner who was a friend of the model. Condition: Good condition apart from some scratches and pressure ...
Category

20th Century Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Trumpet Player
Located in Sempach, LU
I love painting people. I love to capture their movement, their emotions, the dramas and the theatrics of life. I paint people to express their personality, their lightness and darkn...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Death of the Young Men 1938 - British art figurative Surrealist oil painting
By Jack Sassoon
Located in London, GB
An oil on canvas painted by Jack Sassoon which was certainly a premonition of what was to come. Entitled Death of the Young Men and dated 1938, it depicts men in gas masks and a woma...
Category

1930s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Confident Figure - Original Figurative Abstract Man in Purple Suit on Blue Wall
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Iqi Qoror's surreal figurative paintings are arresting in their earthy palettes offset by pops of fluorescent textile embroidery. His artworks revolve around questions of trust, inte...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wool, Thread, Mixed Media, Acrylic

"Go With The Flow" Fantasy and Surreal Oil on Canvas by acclaimed British artist
Located in Southampton, NY
In continuing with representing fine artists that are connected to the music industry we are please to announce that we are the only gallery in the United States representing the wor...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Princess and Prince, Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina Fairy Tales
Located in Miami, FL
Italian illustrator Gianni Benvenuti paints a charming fantasy scene. It's of an extreme closeup of a tiny crowned and winged Prince and Princess They are standing upright in a dand...
Category

1950s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Gouache

"The Two Dummies", surrealist, brown, tan, grey, mixed media, acrylic painting
Located in Boston, MA
John Baker’s “The Two Dummies” is an acrylic painting on canvas with collage 32 x 24 x 1.5 inches wide in browns, tans and greys with red and yellow accents. The wooden neck lever of the ventriloquist suggests that he is in reality the dummy of the young boy; and yet, impossibly, both seem to be the dummies of one another! Regardless, the brightness of the props on the prop table...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

A Boy and his Dog Oil and Mixed Media Cuban Hyperrealism Framed
Located in Houston, TX
LOOK FOR FREE SHIPPING AT CHECKOUT OR GALLERY RATE A Boy and His Dog shows the hyperrealism of modern Cuban art that is now available to the world...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

"Conflab" Oil on Canvas 18x22"
Located in Southampton, NY
In continuing with representing fine artists that are connected to the music industry we are please to announce that we are the only gallery in the United States representing the wor...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

United and Fate Challenge I
Located in Quebec, Quebec
Mental closeness connects two dissimilar beings, despite great differences. keywords; surrealism, portrait, oil painting, earth tones, figurative painting, strangeness, contemporary...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Young Boss jamming with Girlfriend
Located in Sempach, LU
I paint people; I want my paintings to have character to tell a story but without words as if using mime. To be dramatic, emotional, sometimes theatrical but always with feelings and...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Jazz in the park
Located in Sempach, LU
When she has some spare time, Ta is an avid reader. She recently read the Thai edition of Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova. It's sheer brilliance led her to curate her 'Goddess' col...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Egg girl
Located in Sempach, LU
02 / 10 / 2023 I signed a book contract for Egg Island; it will now go through the publishing process and will be in print next year. I was overwhelmed by the editorial board's fee...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

King of Jazz
Located in Sempach, LU
Ta has a vibrant personality and loves nothing more than a happy toe-tapping audience appreciating melodic jazz. Jazz and lady in red oozes musical finesse and sultry song. Ta is ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Egg flowers
Located in Sempach, LU
“The longer you look at an object, the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real.” Lucian Freud My hero, Vincent Van Gogh, painted his sunflowers in Arles, in the Sou...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Egg Boy on a windy day
Located in Sempach, LU
02 / 10 / 2023 I signed a book contract for Egg Island; it will now go through the publishing process and will be in print next year. I was overwhelmed by the editorial board's fee...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Conspirators hatching a plot
Located in Sempach, LU
I am an accomplished fine portrait artist, but my real passion is in colour and how the arrangement of colour can produce a different emotional experience of art. I want original and...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Conspiracy
Located in Sempach, LU
Unlike many surrealists, who present their dreams, the central subjects of Ta’s work are people and bold colours. Her work opens up new art dimensions to explore. Her Blue Valentine ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Boss getting a hair cut
Located in Sempach, LU
Welcome to my world of Monkeys and Lions smoking cigars, the Egg family, my Lovers Jazz Conspirators and Ladies in Red. Someone once said of my work. 'I often wonder why people worl...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Sax duo
Located in Sempach, LU
Welcome to my world of Monkeys and Lions smoking cigars, the Egg family, my Lovers Jazz Conspirators and Ladies in Red. Someone once said of my work. 'I often wonder why people worl...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Be A Man
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Beneath my sturdiness is a puddle surrounded by the moistness of fresh mud- soft and mushy- and it’s how I learned to nurture and love flowers. I’ve been told my best trait has to b...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"A Family of Means", surrealist, blue, red, pink, mixed media, acrylic painting
Located in Boston, MA
John Baker’s “A Family of Means” is an acrylic painting on canvas with collage 38 x 50 inches in blues, reds, and pinks. Depicted in their commodious library, the wealthy family exudes a sense of arrogant privilege and shameless materialism. The matriarch displays her rings to the spectator as though their monetary value was proof of her worth as a person, while her son, in his prep school blazer...
Category

2010s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Bulb of Africa 3
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Bulb of Africa was not just a hairstyle; it was a celebration of African heritage and a testament to the resilience of its people. Passed down through generations, it represented strength, beauty, and the rich tapestry of African traditions. The Bulb showcased the natural texture and volume of African hair, transforming it into an intricate masterpiece of braids, twists, and coils. The Bulb of Africa became a symbol of empowerment, reminding people of their strength, resilience, and the beauty of their shared heritage. It served as a reminder that hair was more than a physical attribute; it was a connection to something greater—a connection to their ancestors, their community, and celebrating the beauty within themselves. Beyond their physical beauty, African women possess an immeasurable inner strength that resonates through "Bulb of Africa." Odunayo masterfully captures this strength, highlighting the resilience and determination that have defined African women throughout history. The women depicted in the artwork emanate confidence, wisdom, and a sense of purpose. Their gaze speaks volumes, embodying the stories of countless African women who have overcome adversity, shattered barriers, and carved out their own paths to success. In "Bulb of Africa," Iyiola Odunayo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Bulb of Africa 1
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Bulb of Africa was not just a hairstyle; it was a celebration of African heritage and a testament to the resilience of its people. Passed down through generations, it represented strength, beauty, and the rich tapestry of African traditions. The Bulb showcased the natural texture and volume of African hair, transforming it into an intricate masterpiece of braids, twists, and coils. The Bulb of Africa became a symbol of empowerment, reminding people of their strength, resilience, and the beauty of their shared heritage. It served as a reminder that hair was more than a physical attribute; it was a connection to something greater—a connection to their ancestors, their community, and celebrating the beauty within themselves. Beyond their physical beauty, African women possess an immeasurable inner strength that resonates through "Bulb of Africa." Odunayo masterfully captures this strength, highlighting the resilience and determination that have defined African women throughout history. The women depicted in the artwork emanate confidence, wisdom, and a sense of purpose. Their gaze speaks volumes, embodying the stories of countless African women who have overcome adversity, shattered barriers, and carved out their own paths to success. In "Bulb of Africa," Iyiola Odunayo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

The King's Bride of Double Honor
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This Piece was inspired by the story of the Bride of a King. She was so loved by the King because of her great beauty, but the people of the Land loved her so much, not just for her ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Be Brave
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 Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Large Signed Surreal Nude Male Portrait Symbolist Landscape Framed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American school modernist landscape with male figures. Really well painted and a very interesting composition. Impressive giltwood frame as well! Signed and dated lower ri...
Category

1990s Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Surrealist portrait paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Surrealist portrait 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 portrait 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, green, pink and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Rudolf Kosow, Carlos Gamez De Francisco, Tslil Tsemet, and Suzi Fadel Nassif. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil 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 portrait paintings, so small editions measuring 5 inches across are also available. Prices for portrait 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 $27 and tops out at $400,000, while the average work sells for $4,500.

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