Surrealist 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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Size: Medium
Style: Surrealist
Three heads are better than one, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This happens to be an old painting of mine that i retouched recently. The popular saying has always been two heads are better than one, but i have titled mine three heads are better ...
Category
Early 2000s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
"Reflection 4" - surrealist portrait, flowers, rainbow, blue birds, love
By Guy Robinson
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting features hues of green, purple, blue, red, and yellow.
This surrealist portrait features blue birds, flowers, paint tubes and patterns.
Guy Robinson is inspired by the...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
If I Had A Friend, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Scottish terrier wishes for a friend to play with :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Hang: Y...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
African Lady - Original Mixed Media by Sergio Barletta - 1997
Located in Roma, IT
African Lady is an original painting and collage artwork in mixed media -ink, tempera and watercolor- realized by Sergio Barletta in 1997
Hand-signed on ...
Category
1990s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Mixed Media, Ink, Tempera, Watercolor
Time Hollow, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Slav Nedev
Located in Yardley, PA
A work (#7) from the ELEMENTS series Why did I call this series elements? Because there is air in it, there is water, there are earth and fire"¦ There are birth, life and death, spri...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
In Hale Liberation. Ex Hale Limitation.
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Abstract. Philosophical. Colorful.
This piece flew together. The brushstrokes nearly flew from my hand to the Board. The colors demanded to play. But a name just did not show up.
I...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Paste, Gesso, Acrylic, Board
The Masterpiece: Dharma
Located in Palm Desert, CA
The Sakyamuni (Historical) Buddha is credited with developing the teaching known as The Dharma.
For me, that teaching is a masterpiece. Perfect understanding of the human condition a...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Acrylic
Paint. Mysteries of Medicine
Located in Cuernavaca, Morelos
Acrylic on wood
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic, Wood Panel
Playing Tennis
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Woman playing tennis, heavy oil impasto on canvas framed.
Elisabeth Sabala Abelló (Barcelona, 1956). She studied industrial design at the School of Arts and Crafts in Barcelona and has a degree in Fine Arts, a specialty in painting, from the Central University of the same city. Sabala is a convinced figurative who has given all the prominence of her work to the representation of the human being in its most trivial aspects. At a time when the artistic landscape extols abstract and conceptual art focused on the great universal themes, Sabala continues to focus on the small defects that bring us closer to the collective and the human. The artistic progression of Sabala takes place, at first, from a bleak period to another vitalist and, later, from the representation of isolated characters (In the super, Reading the stories of the paintings) to the recreation of great concentrations of its peculiar individuals characterized in an endless number of situations (The Great Dance, The Girls of the Choir). Sabala's work is vital and touching, as well as scathing and satirical: it confronts its characters in the most varied situations, capturing, at the same time, the viewer's attention with an unusual juxtaposition of colors that do not seek chromatic harmony, but expression and movement through matter. In 1980 she won the first prize of a painting of the City of Castelldefels, and the following year she debuted individually in the Caixa Catalunya room, in Barcelona. In 1984, she was selected for the XXIII Joan Miró Drawing Prize, taking part in a traveling exhibition in Japan. He won the first prize of the International Painting Competition of Pollença (Mallorca) in 1985, and the following year he took part in a collective held at the Martano gallery in Turin. That same year of 1986 she obtained the Scholarship of Plastic Arts of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Sabala continues to hold personal shows in Barcelona, Mallorca, Madrid, and Italy, and in 1989 she debuted in New York with an individual exhibition held at the Scott Alan Gallery. Since then she will reiterate his presence both in that city and in Paris, Berlin, Monaco, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Hong Kong, etc. His works have been present at Interactive, ARCO, Art Forum, Art Jonction and New Art, as well as in various Spanish museums.
• Studies: Fine Arts, University of Barcelona
• Industrial Design, School of Arts and Crafts, Barcelona
Main exhibitions
Spain:
• Barcelona:
◦ Arcs & Cracks, 1990, 1992, Anna Benach 1993, Helena Ramos 1993
◦ Maria Jose Castellvi 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001 “a wedding is a wedding” + Performance “Ella”
◦ 2004, 2006 “Fashion satisfaction” + Performance
◦ 2008 “Women's weapons”
• Girona:
◦ Helena Ramos 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995
◦ Cyprus Art...
Category
1980s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Rondo
Located in Nottingham, GB
Anna starts by sketching her figures. Based on everyday people, everyday life. Embossing her art boards with telephone directory before adding oils. Incredible style, akin with Franc...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Impossible Walls, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
My surrealist paintings are always inspired by nature and the fact that we come from it. I am intrigued by both, nature and the meaning of our own existence. The more connected we ar...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
The Drummer and the Flutist IV painting from Afric, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
It's a painting from Central Africa of a music duo singing and playing flute and drums by Cameroon artist Angu Walters. This painting will ship from t...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Monday evening, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
A portrait of a young man chilling after a long day. Oil on circular canvas, ready to hang. :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authentic...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
HALCYON, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Poetic Art Statement: Days of Halcyon - All is Well. Halcyon expresses whatever the viewer decides (modern seascape, landscape, sky, water, fantasy). May be reversed for different contemporary abstract-modern or surreal effects. I am an environmental oil artist and use the highest grade water-based oils to produce paintings that are healthy for our environment, homes, and offices. 1.5" gallery wrap neutral grey edges and therefore needs no frame. Halycon is a ready to hang archival ecofriendly fine art...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Guardian of the Shrine -, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Japanese Komainu is like a lion and dog shape animal and is dedicated to the shrine which is also believed to be an imaginary creature. The Komainu statue is placed in pairs at th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Surreal Collage: 'Happy Valley'
Located in New York, NY
Barnett, a surrealist artist incorporates discarded mechanical objects and gadgets into his artwork. His work is characterized by its unique and ecl...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Mixed Media
"Spring" - Surrealist still life, botanical, egg, rainbow, paint brushes
By Guy Robinson
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Spring" features hues of blue, pink, yellow, orange, green, and red.
Guy Robinson is inspired by the work of Paul Klee, Albrecht Durer and Giuseppe Arcimboldo...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
Emanation, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Slav Nedev
Located in Yardley, PA
A work (# 13) from the ELEMENTS series Why did I call this series elements? Because there is air in it, there is water, there are earth and fire… There are birth, life and death, s...
Category
Early 2000s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Fish in the Sky, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Slav Nedev
Located in Yardley, PA
A work (# 12) from the ELEMENTS series Why did I call this series elements? Because there is air in it, there is water, there are earth and fire… There are birth, life and death...
Category
Early 2000s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Garden Gait, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Horse plowing through flower gardens fearfully. :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
20th Century Oil on Canvas French Signed Alain Cadoret Surrealist Painting, 1975
Located in Vicoforte, IT
French painting dated 1975. Oil on canvas artwork, first canvas, depicting a surrealist subject with a strong visual impact. Nicely sized and pleasantly decorated painting, signed an...
Category
1970s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Work in Progress, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Newel Hunter
Located in Yardley, PA
Work in Progress is painted on a 24 x 30 inch canvas, edge-painted, ready to hang. :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed b...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Sprühen und Spüren
By Paul Pretzer
Located in Torino, TO
Paul Pretzer's canvases bring us into scenes of black humour: the absurd, disasters, strange happenings, fantastic scenes that reveal stylistic connections with the works of master o...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
Mother Earth "Sicilian Landscape II "
Located in Miami, FL
Eugene Berman is a keen observer of his surroundings but never translates his vision in a literal way. In "Sicilian Landscape," the artist transfor...
Category
1960s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Americana "For a horrible instant Carter thought the jet was going to crash
By Peter Helck
Located in Miami, FL
Mid Century Americana "For a horrible instant Carter thought the jet was going to crash in the street." Saturday Evening Post
Work is unframed
Category
1950s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
India Ink, Gouache
A Forgotten Flying Machine - Oil on Canvas - Romanian French Surrealism
Located in London, GB
JULES PERAHIM 1914-2008
Bucharest 1914-2008 Paris (Romanian)
Title: A Forgotten Flying Machine Une machine volante oubliée, 1978
Technique: Signed, Da...
Category
1970s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Revisiting the Boogieman" - Surrealist Painting, still life - Arcimboldo
By Guy Robinson
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Revisiting the Boogieman" features hues of blue, pink, yellow, orange, green, and black.
Guy Robinson is inspired by the work of Paul Klee, Albrecht Durer and Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
"Object Lesson" - Surrealist Painting, still life, floral, globe - Arcimboldo
By Guy Robinson
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Object Lesson" features hues of blue, pink, yellow, orange, green, and black.
Guy Robinson is inspired by the work of Paul Klee, Albrecht Durer and Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Atlanta based artist Guy Robinson attended the Atlanta College Of Art on a Ford Foundation grant and has worked extensively in painting, sculpture, printmaking, and drawing. His surrealists works have been exhibited in numerous galleries and have a place in important collections including the Museum Of Contemporary Art, Georgia (MOCA,GA). Robinson has over thirty-five years experience teaching drawing and painting for Emory...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
Nature Morte
Located in New York, NY
Serge Clement
Nature Morte, 1963
Signed lower right Clement 1963
Oil on canvas, still life.
(Frame) H 25" x W 28.75" (Sight) H 18" x H 21"
Category
1960s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Surreal Collage: 'Cyclopaedia'
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 Paintings
Materials
Mixed Media
Critics in a red cloud
Located in Miami, FL
Signed lower right . gilt frame some minor surface grime other than that is present very well with strong saturated colors
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Tempera
Prime Cuts
Located in Nottingham, GB
Original Painting, Oil on Board
In 2013 the Horse Meat Scandal came to light. This scandal happened in parts of Europe in which foods advertised as containing beef and Pork were found to contain undeclared or improperly declared horse meat. Xue Wang...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Sacred Grove #6" - Surrealist Painting, still life, vegetables - Arcimboldo
By Guy Robinson
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Sacred Grove #6" features hues of blue, pink, yellow, orange, green, and black.
Guy Robinson is inspired by the work of Paul Klee, Albrecht Durer and Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Atlanta b...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
Paint. Miracles of the Marsh
Located in Cuernavaca, Morelos
Acrylic on wood
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic, Wood Panel
Victor Brauner - La récapitulation de l'amour, surreal, surrealist, painting
Located in London, GB
Victor Brauner (1903-1966)
La récapitulation de l'amour
1934
oil on canvas
50.2 x 61.2 cm
Price:
£85,000 GBP
Provenance:
Edouard Léon Théodore Mesens, Brussels
Thence by descent
N...
Category
1930s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Paint. The Natural Science of Speech
Located in Cuernavaca, Morelos
Acrylic on wood
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic, Wood Panel
"Beyond Reach" Surrealist Still Life Painting of books with ladders
Located in New York, NY
Hardbound books in black, orange and yellow are stacked with magazines and soft cover books. In a surreal shift of scale bright orange construction ladders are leaned against the b...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Top Down Kind of Day
Located in Napa, CA
Largely self-taught, Linda Ridd Herzog’s paintings boast unbelievably detailed animals and objects in fantastical, surreal scenes. Growing up in Utah, Herzog found herself so inspire...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Paint. The Devil's Right Hand
Located in Cuernavaca, Morelos
Acrylic on wood
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic, Wood Panel
Paint.Danger on the Road to Here
Located in Cuernavaca, Morelos
Acrylic paint on paper
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic, Paper
Paint. Mystery of the Hydra
Located in Cuernavaca, Morelos
Acrylic paint on paper
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Paper, Acrylic
Pássaro Azul, 2025 - Ritchelly Oliveira
Located in Porto, 13
“Pássaro Azul” by Ritchelly Oliveira, 2025
Charcoal and Acrylic on Canvas 80 x 60 cm (31.5 x 23.6 in)
A poetic exploration of harmony and transformation, “Pássaro Azul” by Ritchelly...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic
French Contemporary Art By Helen Uter - Ocean Girl
By Helen Uter
Located in Paris, IDF
Acrylic on canvas
Helen Uter is an established Franco-American painter born in 1955 who lives and works in Donnery, near Orléans, France. Heavily influenced by Edward Hopper, she cr...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
French Contemporary Art By Helen Uter - Mother
By Helen Uter
Located in Paris, IDF
Oil on canvas
Helen Uter is an established Franco-American painter born in 1955 who lives and works in Donnery, near Orléans, France. Heavily influenced by Edward Hopper, she create...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
French Contemporary Art By Helen Uter - La Tierra
By Helen Uter
Located in Paris, IDF
Oil on canvas with knife
Helen Uter is an established Franco-American painter born in 1955 who lives and works in Donnery, near Orléans, France. Heavily influenced by Edward Hopper...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
French Contemporary Art By Helen Uter - Abajo
By Helen Uter
Located in Paris, IDF
Oil on canvas with knife
Helen Uter is an established Franco-American painter born in 1955 who lives and works in Donnery, near Orléans, France. Heavily influenced by Edward Hopper...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Vesna – 14-03-22, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
Shifting Gear Another Risque painting depicting my muse Julia Filament. Two oil paintings earlier I already did an Ukrainian theme but why not use it once again. After all, the Ru...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Resist, Painting, Acrylic on Paper
By Brent Hanson
Located in Yardley, PA
Original metaphorical surrealist arboreal work. Black and white with a little silver thrown in. 30x22 acrylic on heavy watercolor paper and permanently mounted on an aluminum panel...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
A Prickly Situation, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original painting by Austin based artist Sandra Boskamp :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Ha...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
The Happy Family, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This golden surreal painting of an African family is oil on canvas :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: ...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Self Portrait in Absentia 2" - surrealist portrait, flowers, patterns, paint
By Guy Robinson
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting features hues of green, purple, blue, red, and yellow.
This surrealist portrait features a paint palette, glove, egg, paint tubes and fruit.
Guy Robinson is inspired ...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
4520 At the disco, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Andres Vivo
Located in Yardley, PA
A modern place to meet. Music and dancing is the first connection between young fans. :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signe...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
4505 Transformaciones 1, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Andres Vivo
Located in Yardley, PA
Belongs to my uman social behaviour series Inspired by the crude realities that Francisco Goya painted :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Pawn, Painting, Oil on Watercolor Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
"Pawn" is an oil and mixed media collage on hand pressed archival watercolor paper. The piece depicts the abstracted head of a warrior in profile, using many symbols including an ear...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
The Xylophone Player IV, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Cameroon artist Angu Walters often paints African musicians. :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready ...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Prayer IV, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Here is a reverent painting of African Christians at prayer by Cameroon artist Angu Walters. :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an of...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
My Love V, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
In this acrylic painting from Africa, a happy couple sings a love song. :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
The Blues Band I, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Painting of African blues musicians in muted colors by Cameroon artist Angu Walters who is himself a musician and often paints about music. :: Painting :: Surrealism :: This piece c...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Surrealist paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Surrealist 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 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, purple, green and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Elvic Steele, Rudolf Kosow, Isabel Rock, and Henry David Potwin. 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 paintings, so small editions measuring 2 inches across are also available. Prices for 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 $1 and tops out at $400,000, while the average work sells for $2,999.