Surrealist Paintings
In the wake of World War I’s ravaging of Europe, artists delved into the unconscious mind to confront and grapple with this reality. Poet and critic André Breton, a leader of the Surrealist movement who authored the 1924 Surrealist Manifesto, called this approach “a violent reaction against the impoverishment and sterility of thought processes that resulted from centuries of rationalism.” Surrealist art emerged in the 1920s with dreamlike and uncanny imagery guided by a variety of techniques such as automatic drawing, which can be likened to a stream of consciousness, to channel psychological experiences.
Although Surrealism was a groundbreaking approach for European art, its practitioners were inspired by Indigenous art and ancient mysticism for reenvisioning how sculptures, paintings, prints, performance art and more could respond to the unsettled world around them.
Surrealist artists were also informed by the Dada movement, which originated in 1916 Zurich and embraced absurdity over the logic that had propelled modernity into violence. Some of the Surrealists had witnessed this firsthand, such as Max Ernst, who served in the trenches during World War I, and Salvador Dalí, whose otherworldly paintings and other work responded to the dawning civil war in Spain.
Other key artists associated with the revolutionary art and literary movement included Man Ray, Joan Miró, René Magritte, Yves Tanguy, Frida Kahlo and Meret Oppenheim, all of whom had a distinct perspective on reimagining reality and freeing the unconscious mind from the conventions and restrictions of rational thought. Pablo Picasso showed some of his works in “La Peinture Surréaliste” — the first collective exhibition of Surrealist painting — which opened at Paris’s Galerie Pierre in November of 1925. (Although Magritte is best known as one of the visual Surrealist movement’s most talented practitioners, his famous 1943 painting, The Fifth Season, can be interpreted as a formal break from Surrealism.)
The outbreak of World War II led many in the movement to flee Europe for the Americas, further spreading Surrealism abroad. Generations of modern and contemporary artists were subsequently influenced by the richly symbolic and unearthly imagery of Surrealism, from Joseph Cornell to Arshile Gorky.
Find a collection of original Surrealist paintings, sculptures, prints and multiples and more art on 1stDibs.
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
The painting reinterprets the Six of Pentacles tarot card, delving into the concept of gaining material wealth and enjoying one's work. The green hues symboli...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
As a part of artist Rachel Srinivasan's Rodeo Series, the painting explores the symbolism of the five pentacles tarot card. The prominent green hues carry meanings of wealth, abundance, growth, and a connection to nature. The white bison adds a layer of mysticism, representing the power of the supernatural. Galloping horses adorn the edges, adding an intriguing touch to the composition.
About the Artist
For Rachel Srinivasan, an idea is worth putting on a canvas only if it still feels exciting after a few days. Rachel enjoys mulling the idea over in her mind for some time before creating an artwork. She hopes viewers will engage with her work and wonder about the subject matter, shapes and colors. "My current work is all about creating a connection between the person on the canvas with the viewer," she explains. She prefers large paintings and sometimes even makes her own canvases. She currently lives in Arizona and enjoys baking rhubarb pies, reading, running and going to art museums.
Words that describe this painting: tarot, wealth, abundance, magic, mystical, cards, oracle, white bison, buffalo...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic, Panel
Artist Comments
A woman character is shown floating near an open window, where a giant bluebird is waiting as a spirit animal guide. The bird serves as a reminder to not give...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Michael Wedge paints a surrealist composition where lightbulbs replace vegetables. "The activity and its meaning are left up to the viewer," says Micha...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Paint, Mixed Media, Archival Paper, Pen
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Diane Flick presents a glimpse into someone else's image of utopia. "Colonel Picklebottom's otherworldly dream persists only to exist," says Diane. In ...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Paint, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Pen
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1950s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Driftwood, Oil, Laid Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Oil
1950s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Surrealist Paintings
Oil, Board
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Ink, Gouache
1980s Surrealist Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Michael Wedge shows two figures installing parking meters in a mysterious landscape. A symbol of city streets stands out in the middle of a verdant fie...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Paint, Mixed Media, Archival Paper, Pen
1980s Surrealist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Guigen Zha paints a giant blooming peony in lush shades of pink. As the national flower of China, they represent prosperity and nobility. A silhouette of a deer stands in the foreground, silent and majestic. The animal is a symbol of peace and happiness in Chinese culture. Together, they express sources of noble associations and interpretations. Guigen explores the sublime parallels between humans, animals, and nature.
About the Artist
Words that describe this painting: healing, peony, deer, animal, belief, landscape, floral, poetic, oilpaint, flower, surrealism, animals, nature, surrealism, oil painting, pink
One Blossom One World...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Part of artist Michael Wedge's series exploring the contrasts between various periods with urban scenes and rural environments. This piece shows two figures g...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic, Graphite
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Miranda Gamel shares a dreamy portrait of a woman with a neon pink crown surrounded by glowing butterflies. Miranda portrays the subject with illuminat...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
I used the activity of transplanting tree saplings as a way to connect the city and the country in this painting. I'm interested in surreal scenes where peopl...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
1970s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic, Gouache, Handmade Paper
1970s Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic, Board
Artist Comments
Artist Guigen Zha paints red lotus flowers under the shining sun. Square blocks of gradient color fill the fragmented scene. He pain...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Paper, Gouache
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Rachel Srinivasan manifests a representation of a tarot card. She paints a robust white bison in the center of five silver swords, standing on a pentagram in ...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1970s Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Linen, Oil
1980s Surrealist Paintings
Paper, India Ink, Watercolor
Artist Comments
"This painting is a part of both my Tarot series and my Power Bison series," shares artist Rachel Srinivasan. "In tarot, the two of swords is about decisions,...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
1950s Surrealist Paintings
Oil, Gouache, Laid Paper