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.
Style: Surrealist
Color: Gray
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - 'Patterns and Growth ' Abstract
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - Abstract Green Weeds
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - Fantasy Fish 'Rocky Pool'
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - Bright & Colourful Abstract Design
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - Colorful Fantasy Abstract
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - Colorful Fantasy Abstract
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - Wacky Shapes Abstract
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - ''Beginning Of Life' Colourful Abstract
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Our Tracks Will be Concealed" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Our Tracks Will be Concealed
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - 'Awaiting Dawn' Fantasy Abstract
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
City scene I
Located in Spetses, GR
Surrealistic urban scenery with a 3D effect, created with acrylics on canvas.
Certificate of authenticity will be provided by the gallery.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - Abstract Colour Spectrum
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - Abstract Purple Shapes
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - 'Flaming Sea' Fantasy Abstract
By Elvic Steele
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by Elvic Steele depicting this surrealist fantasy abstract painting.
Elvic Steele is a fascinating English painter. Her works entrance the observer, d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
The Meeting -15-02-22, Painting, Oil on Other
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
Landscapes of Old This oil ‘The Meeting’ has a long story. Ages ago, before my cubist and roundistic revolution, I was more into landscapes and surrealism. Even though I already sketched models I feel like I did more landscapes and cityscapes than now. One of the last oil paintings I made was ‘Autumn Tree at Laren (2013)’. The urge for painting trees suddenly came to a standstill and was replaced by the love for the female form. Pandemic Gone, New Beginning Now I am sitting here behind my desk, writing this art statement. Our current Secretary of State for Health Ernst Kuipers declared the end of the pandemic yesterday. Next to this I long for Spring more than I ever did and want to do landscapes again. It is not a coincidence when you clean up your house certain artefacts come popping up. Cleaning up means emptying your mind to make space for something new. Springtime This landscape of a windmill from above I started back in 2011. I put that oil face...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
French Surrealist Oil Painting Abstract Figurative Scene
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Figurative Abstract
French School, signed and dated 1972
small frame
oil painting on board
painting: 19.75 x 25.5 inches
overall size: 21.5 x 27 inches
condition: overall very good a...
Category
20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Love, Original Contemporary Surrealist Gouache Painting on Wood Panel
By Megan Frazer
Located in Boston, MA
Love, Original Contemporary Surrealist Painting
18" x 11.25" x 1.625" (HxWxD) Gouache on Wood Panel
A conceptual surrealist painting by artist Megan Frazer, this composition feature...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Gouache, Wood Panel
Large Surrealist Painting Royal of College Art LGBTQ+ Woman artist Blue Bicycles
By Isabel Rock
Located in Norfolk, GB
IIsabel Rock is a creator of contemporary fairy tales. A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, her work is an explosion of strange occurrences while a surreal narrative tak...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Pen, Mixed Media, Archival Paper, Paint
FRENCH SURREALIST SIGNED OIL PAINTING - STILL LIFE BY WINDOW SILL
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School:
French School, second half 20th century
Title:
Surrealist Still Life study.
Medium: oil painting on canvas, framed
Size:
frame: 23.25 x 17.25 inches, painting...
Category
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Sophisticated Lady on a Walk - Woman Walking a Red Balloon, Oil Paint, Geometry
Located in New York, NY
Sophisticated Lady on a Walk is a 40 x 30-inch figurative surrealist oil painting on canvas. Red, white, and green are the primary colors. The paint...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Roman Andrade Llaguno "Bajo El Sol" Original Oil Painting C.1993
Located in San Francisco, CA
Roman Andrade Llaguno "Bajo El Sol" Original Oil Painting C.1993
Original oil on canvas
Canvas dimensions 39" wide x 31.5" high
The frame measures 44" wide x 36.5" high
Signed by the artist
The painting is in very good condition and shows a past professional repair (seen on back only)
A fine example of Modern Mexican Surrealism...
Category
Late 20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
“Mssr. Violette” Pink, Purple, and Grey Abstract Aristocratic Figure Painting
Located in Houston, TX
Pink, purple, and grey surrealist figurative portrait painting by contemporary Houston artist Scott Woodard. The work features an abstract woman figure wearing an aristocratic dress ...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Large Surrealist Painting Royal of College Art LGBTQ+ Woman artist Blue Bicycles
By Isabel Rock
Located in Norfolk, GB
Isabel Rock is a creator of contemporary fairy tales. A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, her work is an explosion of strange occurrences whi...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Pen, Mixed Media, Paint, Archival Paper
Sunset I
Located in Nashville, TN
"Sunset I" is an an-acrylic-on-canvas painting by Cuban artist Carlos Gamez de Francisco from his series "Oh Dear." As in his other portrait series, the artist continues to challenge...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Untitled
Located in Lawrence, NY
Estate stamped and accompanied by a COA from the estate.
Gouache on paper
This is an early abstraction by Price, painted while he was in Woodstock, ...
Category
1940s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Gouache
GENEVIEVE ZONDERVAN (1922-2013) 1940's FRENCH OIL PAINTING - ELDERLY LADY SEWING
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Sewing"
by Geneviève Zondervan (French 1922-2013)
oil painting on board, dated 1944
board: 19.5 x 10.5 inches
Superb mid-century oil painting on board by the French artist, Genevi...
Category
Late 20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Surrealistic Acrylic on Canvas Landscape "Dual Strength"
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A detailed realistic/surrealistic acrylic painting on canvas.
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Pigging Out at the Diner, Surreal Anthropomorphic Pig Satirical Illustration
Located in Soquel, CA
A satirical, surreal depiction of a pig at a lunch counter by an unknown artist (20th Century). This scene, full of symbols and satire, portrays the anth...
Category
Late 20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Illustration Board, Oil
Surreal Figures - figurative painting, surreal painting
Located in New York, NY
This early surreal figurative work by Jacob El Hanani was done in 1971. It is ink on paper. Measurements of the paper are 35X25 cm. It is dated and hand signed in Hebrew in the botto...
Category
1970s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Ink
MATES, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Marcelo Novo
Located in Yardley, PA
From my "Contrast Series". "Like a musician playing by ear and improvising as he goes, my art begins not with cautious preliminary sketches but working directly on the chosen surfac...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Large Surrealist Painting Royal College Art Women LGBTQ+ Pink Blue Tiger Palms
By Isabel Rock
Located in Norfolk, GB
Isabel Rock is a creator of contemporary fairy tales. A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, her work is an explosion of strange occurrences whi...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Pen, Archival Paper, Paint, Mixed Media
"With Kindness" Intertwined Nature and Humanity Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"With Kindness" by Victoria Novak, completed in 2017, is a provocative oil on canvas that delves into the fusion of human and natural forms. The painting measures 39.40 x 23.60 inche...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
The City is Scared - The Comet Covid-19- Original Oil Paint in Canvas - 2020
Located in Roma, IT
The city is Scared - The Comet Covid-19 is an original contemporary artwork by the emerging artist Mirtilla Durante.
Mixed colored oil on canvas. Tit...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Veronica" - Surrealism, portrait, patterns, lace - Arcimboldo
By Guy Robinson
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Veronica" 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 University...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
Abstract Composition - Original Lithograph - 1981
Located in Roma, IT
Abstract Composition is original lithograph realized in 1981 by an unknown artist, mounted on a blue cardboard Passepartout, with the title on the lower left.
Hand-signed on the lowe...
Category
1980s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Lithograph
Fauna
Located in ATLANTA, GA
Georgian artist Merab Gagiladze was born in Tbilisi.
In 1987 he began his formal art education at the Tbilisi College of Art, School of Ceramics.
In 19...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Armageddon finale. 2005, canvas, oil, 73x100 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Armageddon finale. 2005, canvas, oil, 73x100 cm
Category
Early 2000s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Hovering, surrealist egg tempera insect and skyscape painting
Located in New York, NY
Douglas Safranek's Hovering captures the tension of liminal space. Bees and dragonflies appear pinned, and specimen-like, yet achieve loftiness with their wings. Their hyperbolized d...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Egg Tempera, Illustration Board
In the garden. 1970s Cardboard, tempera, 59x59 cm
Located in Riga, LV
In the garden. 1970s Cardboard, tempera, 59x59 cm
Vladimir Borisovich Glushenkov (May 21, 1948, Riga - December 26, 2009, Riga.) - painter, graphic artist, poet, translator.
Born i...
Category
1970s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Mixed Media, Tempera, Cardboard
HOMAGE TO CUBISM
Located in Aventura, FL
Original oil painting on canvas. Hand signed on front by the artist. Canvas is stretched.
Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of authenticity included. All reasonable o...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Surreal Portrait, Oil Painting by Richard Kirk
By Richard Kirk
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Richard Kirk, American XXth
Title: Surreal Portrait
Year: circa 1960
Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed
Size: 36 x 24 in. (91.44 x 60.96 cm)
Frame:...
Category
1960s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
City
Located in Granada Hills, CA
ARTIST: Aibek Begalin
WORK: Original acrilic graphics, handmade artwork
Medium: Acrylic and ink on paper
YEAR: 2020
STYLE: Modern
SUBJECT: CITY
SIZE: 12" x 9" x 0,1" inch, 21X29 cm
Unframed
CITY
Aibek Begalin was born in 1963 in Astana, Kazakhstan. In 1989 he graduated from V. Surikov Moscow State Academy Art Institute with a Master of Fine Arts.
Now he lives and works in Los-Angeles, California, USA.
In 2001 he had made a portrait for Pope John Paul...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Paper, Ink, Acrylic
Mr. L (oil painting monochrome vintage old man beard portrait nostalgia flower)
By Rudolf Kosow
Located in Quebec, Quebec
keywords; surrealism, portrait, oil painting, earth tones, figurative painting, strangeness, contemporary surrealistic, unsettling, contemporary figurative painting, dreams, symbolic...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
“Mme. Violette” Pink, Purple, and Grey Abstract Aristocratic Figure Painting
Located in Houston, TX
Pink, purple, and grey surrealist figurative portrait painting by contemporary Houston artist Scott Woodard. The work features an abstract male figure wearing an aristocratic suit wi...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Golden Age I
Located in Tulsa, OK
Carlos Gamez de Francisco
GOLDEN AGE I
acrylic on canvas
51.00 X 26.00 in
$7,600.00
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Night Walk, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Acrylic painting on canvas. This painting is about how streets on rainy nighttime have so many colors and brightness and looks so beautiful. I created this artwork after visiting Sw...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
GENEVIEVE ZONDERVAN (1922-2013) SIGNED FRENCH SURREALIST OIL PAINTING - FRAMED
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Surrealist Landscape"
by Geneviève Zondervan (French 1922-2013)
oil painting on canvas, framed
dated '99'
signed lower corner
framed: 19.25 x 14 inches
A fine 20th century surreal...
Category
Late 20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Flirt. 1970. Cardboard, mixed media, 50x40 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Flirt. Cardboard, mixed media, 50x40 cm
Abstract/Surrealist composition with two fasec
Vladimir Borisovich Glushenkov (May 21, 1948, Riga - December 26, 2009, Riga.) - painter, grap...
Category
1970s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Mixed Media, Oil, Cardboard
French Surrealist Large Oil Painting Figurative Scene
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Figurative Abstract
French School
oil painting on board
painting: 21 x 17 inches
condition: overall very good and pleasing
provenance: from a private collection of this artists work ...
Category
20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Lavender Furniture
Located in Nashville, TN
"Lavender Furniture" is a figurative-surrealistic-style painting by Cuban artist Carlos Gamez de Francisco. It is part of Francisco's "Modern Decor"...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Surrealistic Acrylic on Canvas Landscape "Alone on the Ice"
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A detailed realistic/surrealistic landscape acrylic painting on large scale canvas.
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Miracle (yellow banana couple surrealist oil painting comical vintage figurative
By Rudolf Kosow
Located in Quebec, Quebec
In "Case", banal, everyday things meet in this painting to create an unusual, strange, absurd and ironical situation derived by the disproportional scale size of things.
keywords;...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Large French Surrealist Oil Painting Figurative Scene Nudes on Motorbikes
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Figurative Abstract
French School
dated 1972
oil painting on board
overall size: 19.5 X 19
condition: overall very good and pleasing
provenance: from a private collection of this art...
Category
20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Spring Scattering Stars, Nude allegory scattering stars from a crescent moon
Located in Miami, FL
Spring Scattering Stars is a 1927 Neoclassical painting by American artist Edwin Blashfield. It depicts a nude female allegory of spring on a w...
Category
1920s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Reverie, " Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
David Cheifetz's "Reverie" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a golden vase and red apple situated within a landscape of a green leafing tree and a blue wave crashing...
Category
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
Untitled
Located in Lawrence, NY
Another female artist in need of rediscovery. Strautin was good friends with Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock and lived near them in Greenwich Village.
Category
1950s Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
GENEVIEVE ZONDERVAN (1922-2013) FRENCH OIL PAINTING - URBAN CITY VIEW STREET
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Urban Street View"
by Geneviève Zondervan (French 1922-2013)
oil painting on board, inscribed verso
board: 18 x 14.75 inches
20th century oil painting on board by the French artis...
Category
Late 20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Counter, Original Contemporary Surrealist Gouache Painting on Wood Panel
By Megan Frazer
Located in Boston, MA
Counter, Original Contemporary Conceptual Surrealist Painting, 2014
18" x 11.25" x 1.625" (HxWxD) Gouache on Wood Panel
A confusing and seemingly impossible juxtaposition of subject matter, this conceptual work features her signature muted color scheme, incredible use of texture, and an intensely surrealist composition. The work is slightly reminiscent of the surreal painting *The Persistence of Memory...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Materials
Gouache, Wood Panel
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.
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