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Surrealist Photography

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
"Speed 2" Black & White Photography 39" x 49" in Edition 1/3 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Speed 2" Black & White Photography 39" x 49" in Edition 1/3 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"Swimming Suit 2" Photography 24" x 24" in Edition 1/15 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Swimming Suit 2" Photography 24" x 24" in Edition 1/15 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. Avai...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"Mother" Nude Photography 31" x 31" inch Edition of 15 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Mother" Nude Photography 31" x 31" inch Edition of 15 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. Avail...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Wherever You Look You See The Chrysler Building: Williamsburg
Located in Miami, FL
In 1974, wherever you looked, you could see the Chrysler Building. In this image, from Williamsburg, the distinctive Art Deco spire of the Chrysler Building peeks its head out above ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

"Thirst" Black & White Photography 49" x 39" in Edition 1/3 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Thirst" Black & White Photography 49" x 39" in Edition 1/3 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Hippies in Central Park with Oversized Psychedelic Moon
Located in Miami, FL
Two flower children converse among a gathering of hippies in Central Park. They are adorned with yellow flowers in their hair, which symbolize freedom and ideals of universal belong...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

TIE Fighter Beatles Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition
Located in London, GB
TIE Fighter Beatles by B A T I K Pop art work featuring the Fab Four Paul McCartney , George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon running away from Star Wars TIE fighters chasing...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

"Invisibility Hat" Photography 16" x 16" in Edition 1/24 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Invisibility Hat" Photography 16" x 16" in Edition 1/24 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. Ava...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"Rescuer" Black & White Photography 50" x 35" in Edition 1/3 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Rescuer" Black & White Photography 50" x 35" in Edition 1/3 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Dalí with the Cubist Tricorne - Original Gelatin Silver Photography
Located in Paris, IDF
Marc LACROIX (1927-2007) Dalí with the Cubist Tricorne, 1971 Original gelatin silver photograph Signed in ink Numbered on 99 copies On silver print paper 57 x 47 cm (c. 22.4 x 18.5 ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Dalí Staring at the Horizon - Original Gelatin Silver Photography, SIGNED
Located in Paris, IDF
Marc LACROIX (1927-2007) Dalí Staring at the Horizon, 1971 Original silver print photograph Signed in ink Numbered on 50 copies On silver print paper 58 x 48 cm (c. 22.8 x 18.9 inch...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Athletic Male Nude on Endless Surreal Arizona Road
Located in Miami, FL
Athletic male nude about to launch out onto the open road of life. Shot on location Near Taos, New Mexico, 4 of an edition of 15, Signed, dated and n...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Inkjet, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

TIE Fighter Beatles Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition
Located in London, GB
TIE Fighter Beatles by B A T I K Pop art work featuring the Fab Four Paul McCartney , George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon running away from Star Wars TIE fighters chasing...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

"Moon Birth 2" Black & White Photography 31" x 31" in Ed. of 7 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Moon Birth 2" Black & White Photography 31" x 31" in Ed. of 7 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"Ahead of me 2" Photography 24" x 24" in Edition 1/15 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Ahead of me 2" Photography 24" x 24" in Edition 1/15 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. Availa...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"I am" Black & White Photography 31" x 31" in Edition of 7 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"I am" Black & White Photography 31" x 31" in Edition of 7 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. A...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Victorious Nude Man on Naked Road in New Mexico - Gay Interest Surrealism
Located in Miami, FL
Man conquers nature and expresses a victorious gesture to an endless landscape with billowing clouds. A quest for meaning for the individual could be another theme this image. The ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Two Facades - Old New York Bar with Surreal Mid-Century Mannequin Face
Located in Miami, FL
Two Facades. Mickey's Place was Bar / Restaurant in Chelsea opposite the old West Side Highway. In this photograph, late afternoon light illuminates the old walk-up building giving ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Steady My Steed, limited edition photograph, archival, signed and numbered
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Steady My Steed, limited edition photograph, archival, signed and numbered I present unspoken stories that illustrate fleeting moments in time and which are intended to evoke a moo...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Double Heist
Located in Sante Fe, NM
I present unspoken stories which illustrate fleeting moments in time and which are intended to evoke a mood in the viewer. These mythical illustrations might address the fragility of...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Art Deco Paris - Eiffel tower Place du Trocadéro Statues " Slave to Love" Gold
Located in Miami, FL
Reminiscent of the dreamy elegance of a bygone era, Mitchell Funk transforms a tourist location into the quintessence of timeless Paris chic. To achieve this the photographer had to rid the Trocadero of toursits. Next came choosing the right camera angle and lighting the scene dramatically. The photo recalls Brian Ferry...
Category

1990s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

TIE Fighter Beatles Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition
Located in London, GB
TIE Fighter Beatles by B A T I K Pop art work featuring the Fab Four Paul McCartney , George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon running away from Star Wars TIE fighters chasing...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

Army Of Caine Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition
Located in London, GB
Army Of Caine by B A T I K Pop art work featuring multiples of Michael Caine in Get Carter mode - possibly his most iconic movie role. Archival pigment pop art print signed & limi...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

Astronaut Space Walks on Park Avenue Manhattan
Located in Miami, FL
An unexpected pedestrian is caught walking across Park Avenue on a rainy day. We are not sure where he came from or where he is going, but he seems to be on a mission. The Astronaut...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Surreal City Scene with Man and his Shadows in Manhattan
Located in Miami, FL
Surreal City Scene with Man and his Shadows - Signed and dated on lower right, numbered on verso Edition 3 of 15. Unframed. Other size available, Printed later - Printed on Hahnemühl...
Category

1990s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Billionaires Row from Central Park Reservoir with Magical Light
Located in Miami, FL
Photographer Mitchell Funk revisits many popular tourist locations and shoots them in a way that perhaps millions of tourists never imagined. In "Billionaires Row from Central Park Reservoir...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Army Of Caine Giant Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition
Located in London, GB
Army Of Caine by B A T I K Pop art work featuring multiples of Michael Caine in Get Carter mode - possibly his most iconic movie role. Archival pigment pop art print signed & limi...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

Man Ray, Composition, Man Ray, Electa Editrice Portfolios (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Héliogravure on vélin paper. Inscription: unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the folio, Man Ray, Electa Editrice Portfolios, 1980. Published and printed ...
Category

1980s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Lithograph

Path in Central Park. Negative Color
Located in Miami, FL
Mitchell Funk is a pioneer of more the 10 different styles of Color Photography. This very early experimentation with negative color combined with colored filters yields a romantica...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Marsh Flight, Steady My Steed, limited edition photograph, archival, signed
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Marsh Flight, Steady My Steed, limited edition photograph, archival, signed and numbered I present unspoken stories that illustrate fleeting moments in time and which are intended t...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Our House, limited edition color print, signed and numbered
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Our House, limited edition color print, signed and numbered Maggie Taylor's digital creations are emblematic, afterimages that invite, transport, and are unforgettable. Taylor's im...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

"Mirror" Photography 27.5" x 20" inch Edition of 15 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Mirror" Photography 27.5" x 20" inch Edition of 15 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. Olha St...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"Queen 2" Black & White Photography 39" x 39" in Edition 1/3 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Queen 2" Black & White Photography 39" x 39" in Edition 1/3 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Pretty Fly For A Fungi In The Forrest
Located in London, GB
CRISTINA SCHEK Pretty Fly For A Fungi In The Forrest, 2020 Signed certificate of authenticity included. Giclée Print on Hahnemühle Anti-Reflective Museum Glass 60 x 60 cm 23 5/8 x 23...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Digital, Giclée

"No Time" Black & White Photography 31.5 x 39 in Ed. 1/7 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"No Time" Black & White Photography 31.5 x 39 in Ed. 1/7 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. Ava...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Semi Nude Men, Muscle Beach Miami Beach
Located in Miami, FL
Signed and dated on lower right, numbered on verso, Edition 2 of 15 Unframed. Other size available
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Surreal Blue Landscape - Early Sci-fi Photography
Located in Miami, FL
This image from the imagination of Mitchell Funk was the cover photograph for Popular Photography Magazine, May 1978, It is signed and numbered on lower right, as well as titled ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment

Dali Cyclops
Located in Buffalo, NY
The work offered for sale here is an original vintage silver gelatin print hand created by Halsman and used as the cover proof for the "Dali Mustache Book". Philippe Halsman was at one point considered the best photo-portraitist in France. He had an incessant interest in faces: “Every face I see seems to hide—and sometimes fleetingly reveal—the mystery of another human being.” Halsman’s photographs of politicians, celebrities, and intellectuals were featured widely in magazines like LIFE and Vogue. His more famous subjects included the likes of Marc Chagall, Le Corbusier, Audrey Hepburn, and Albert Einstein. He also had a 37-year collaboration with Salvador Dalí, which resulted in several famous surrealist series including the “Dalí’s Mustache” portraits...
Category

1950s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Man Ray, Composition, Man Ray, Electa Editrice Portfolios (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Héliogravure on vélin paper. Inscription: unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the folio, Man Ray, Electa Editrice Portfolios, 1980. Published and printed ...
Category

1980s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Lithograph

Conceptual Surreal Portrait Photography - Fairies Feli
Located in Winterswijk, NL
Performative Surreal Portrait: Girl with Meat Headpiece in Green Dress - Feli Julia Kissina Photography (Fujicolor Print, 1997/98) Unique performativ...
Category

1990s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Buffalo Gal
Located in Sante Fe, NM
I present unspoken stories which illustrate fleeting moments in time and which are intended to evoke a mood in the viewer. These mythical illustrations might address the fragility of...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Army Of Caine Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition
Located in London, GB
Army Of Caine by B A T I K Pop art work featuring multiples of Michael Caine in Get Carter mode - possibly his most iconic movie role. Archival pigment pop art print signed & limi...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

"Swimming Suit 2" Figurative Photography 39" x 39" in Ed. 1/3 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Swimming Suit 2" Figurative Photography 39" x 39" in Ed. 1/3 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"Censored" Black & White Photography 30" x 24" in Edition of 7 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Censored" Black & White Photography 30" x 24" in Edition of 7 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

An American in Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
I present unspoken stories which illustrate fleeting moments in time and which are intended to evoke a mood in the viewer. These mythical illustrations might address the fragility of...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Wonder Room, limited edition color print, signed and numbered
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Wonder Room, limited edition color print, signed and numbered Maggie Taylor's digital creations are emblematic, afterimages that invite, transport, and are unforgettable. Taylor's ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Vintage Silver Gelatin Photograph Surrealist Doll Art Photo, Jazz Photographer
Located in Surfside, FL
These were from a show of her work. Influenced by Surrealism and Dada Photographs these are images of old children's dolls in various states of decay....
Category

20th Century Surrealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Badlands
Located in Sante Fe, NM
I present unspoken stories which illustrate fleeting moments in time and which are intended to evoke a mood in the viewer. These mythical illustrations might address the fragility of...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

"Gods at the Beach 2" Photography 39" x 39" in Edition 1/3 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Gods at the Beach 2" Photography 39" x 39" in Edition 1/3 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. A...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Vanilla
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Maggie Taylor's digital creations are emblematic, afterimages that invite, transport, and are unforgettable. Taylor's images are built, layer by layer and object by object, through a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

“Working an Angle” Photography 36" x 24" inch Edition of 1/7 by Brian Ziff
Located in Culver City, CA
“Working an Angle” Photography 36" x 24" inch Edition of 1/7 by Brian Ziff Giclee (Archival Ink) Print on Canson Platine Fibre Rag Not framed. American Dreams - "Park Drive" serie...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Rag Paper, Archival Ink, Giclée

Raven's Blessing
Located in Sante Fe, NM
I present unspoken stories which illustrate fleeting moments in time and which are intended to evoke a mood in the viewer. These mythical illustrations might address the fragility of...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Exterior of Dalí's Figueras Castle - Original Gelatin Silver Photography
Located in Paris, IDF
Marc LACROIX (1927-2007) Exterior of Dalí's Figueras Castle, 1971 Original silver gelatin photograph Signed in ink Numbered on 10 copies On silver print paper 50.5 x 61 cm (c. 19.7 ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Dali in Toreador Costume - Original Silver Gelatin Photography - SIGNED
Located in Paris, IDF
Marc LACROIX (1927-2007) Dali in Toreador Costume, 1971 Original silver print photograph Signed in ink Numbered on 99 copies On silver print paper 57 x 47 cm (c. 22.4 x 18.5 inch) ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Ripple Effect lll
Located in East Hampton, NY
Ripple Effect IIl Medium: Photography (printed on metal) Size: 30" x 20" (larger sizes available - inquire within) 16x24 on metal - 20x30 on metal Made to Order Water Ripple Effect...
Category

2010s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Metal

The Next Big Adventure
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Maggie Taylor's digital creations are emblematic, afterimages that invite, transport and are unforgettable. Taylor's images are built, layer by layer and object by object, through a ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Like No One is Watching, limited edition color print, signed and numbered
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Like No One is Watching, limited edition color print, signed and numbered Maggie Taylor's digital creations are emblematic, afterimages that invite, transport, and are unforgettabl...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Kaleidoscope of Dalí - Original Gelatin Silver Photography, SIGNED and LTD / 50
Located in Paris, IDF
Marc LACROIX (1927-2007) Kaleidoscope of Dalí, 1971 Original silver print photograph Signed in ink Numbered on 50 copies On silver print paper 57 x 47 cm (c. 22.4 x 18.5 inch) INF...
Category

1970s Surrealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Surrealist photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Surrealist photography 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 photography created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, red, orange, purple and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Mitchell Funk, Rosemary Ellis, Brian Ziff, and FPA Francis Pavy Artist. Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Photographic Paper 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 photography, so small editions measuring 4.5 inches across are also available. Prices for photography 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 $110 and tops out at $28,800, while the average work sells for $1,750.

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