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Surrealist Art

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
This Week's Listings Only
Daum Montre Molle Sculpture
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Daum Montre Molle Sculpture Designed by Salvador Dali for Daum MEDIUM: pate de verde glass and bronze sculpture. Pate de ve...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Glass

"The Waiting" - 1977 Surrealist Lithograph on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
"The Waiting" - 1977 Surrealist Lithograph on Paper Surrealist lithograph titled "The Waiting" by Jim Crabb (American, b. 1947-). Black and white surrealist figures take up the pape...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Ink, Lithograph

Salvador Dalì (1904-1989) - The Elephant and Jupiter's Monkey - Drypoint etching
Located in Varese, IT
Rare deluxe issue printed on extremely fine Japanese paper (hand colored in stencil). Limited edition, numbered 235/250 in lower left corner. Signed in pencil by artist in lower rig...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Drypoint, Etching

Leonor Fini, rare original serigraph on Rives paper, circa 1970
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Rare print handsigned by surrealist artist Leonor Fini, inscreasingly esteemed with the movement of rediscovering art by women. This silkscreen is in perfect condition and from a ver...
Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper

Blue Bird, Squash - Lithograph and Stencil
Located in Paris, IDF
Paul KLEE (after) Blue, Bird, Squash Lithograph and stencil (Jacomet process) Signed in the board On vellum 50 x 38.2 cm (19.6 x 14.9 in) INFORMATION : This lithograph was edited i...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Lithograph

Miró, Composition (Cramer 112; Mourlot 439-442), Derrière le miroir (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph on vélin paper. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the volume, Derrière le miroir, N° 164-165, 1967. Published by Aimé Maeght, Éd...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Decameron - Portfolio of 10 Original Signed Engravings by Salvador Dali
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Portfolio of 10 Original Signed Engravings by Salvador Dali Title: Decameron Signed in Pencil by Salvador Dali Dimensions: 45 x 32 cm Edition EA 1/5 1972 References : Field 72-8 (p. ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Engraving

Salvador Dali American Trotting Horses No.1 rare poster for Tokyo Exhibit 1974
Located in Paonia, CO
Salvador Dali American Trotting Horses no.1 poster for Tokyo Exhibit 1974. This image is from the The Currier and Ives Suite of six litho...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

C Print

Composition (Michler/Löpsinger 1601), Romeo e Giulietta
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph, silkscreen in colors on vélin vergata paper. Paper size: 16.5 x 12.625 inches. Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. Catalogue Raisonne Reference: M...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph, Screen

Salvador Dali - The Winged Demon - Original Stamp-Signed Etching
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Salvador Dali - The Winged Demon - Original Stamp-Signed Etching Stamp signed by Dali Edition of 294 copies. Paper : Arches vellum. Dimensions : 16x12"....
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Spheres and Cubes - Geometric Surrealist Landscape in Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
Spheres and Cubes - Geometric Surrealist Landscape in Acrylic on Canvas Bright and lively surrealist landscape by Randy Dunham (American, b. 1961). Six spheres float above a minimalist landscape with mountains and a body of still water. Some of the spheres are transparent and others are opaque, with three cubes partially obscuring the transparent ones. There are streams of water hitting the shapes and splashing into the body of water below. Signed and dated "Randy Dunham © Nov 04" in the lower left corner. No frame. Canvas size: 36"H x 48"W Randy Dunham (American, b. 1961) was born in Troy New York...
Category

Early 2000s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Salvador Dali Lithograph Limited Edition Hand Signed -The Immaculate Conception
Located in Plainview, NY
This captivating lithograph by Salvador Dalí ( Spanish, 1904 -1989) , titled The Immaculate Conception, is an original limited-edition piece,...
Category

20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Purgatory 15 : The Envy - Color woodcut - 1963
Located in Paris, IDF
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) Purgatory 15 - The Envy From the "Divine Comedy" Wood engraving from "Divine Comedy" with the signature printed in the plate 1960/63 Printed on paper Vél...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Leda and the Swan
Located in Boston, MA
Artist: Dali, Salvador Title: Leda and the Swan Series: The Mythology Date: 1963 Medium: drypoint on Japon paper Unframed Dimensions: 30" x 18 1/8" Framed Dimensions: 42" x 34...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Drypoint

original lithograph
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Printed in Paris by Mourlot and published by Pierre à Feu and Maeght Editeur for the Marcel Duchamp / André Breton project "Surréalisme en 1947". Issued ...
Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Hölle V (Field 189-200; M/L 1039-1138), Die Göttliche Komödie
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Woodcut in colors on vélin de Rives BFK paper, mounted on vélin d’Arches support, as issued. Paper size: 13 x 10.375 inches. Inscription: Signed in the block, and unnumbered, as issu...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - Abstract Botanical Study
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: 1960's British Surrealist Oil Painting - Abstract Botanical Study Medium: Oil on board, unframed Size: 6 height x 4 width Condition: Good Provenance: all the paintings we hav...
Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

The Fourth Dimension. VI Vibrant yellow painting, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Fourth Dimension VI This yellow is a home decor color you can be bold with and always makes a statement. this abstract one-of-a-kind painting is signed dated and stamped on the f...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Vintage Amazing Surreal Street Art Modern Abstract Framed Signed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American school surreal oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed verso. Framed. Measuring 24 by 30 overall and 22 by 28 painting alone.
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Jeremiah's Prophecy Against King Joachim - Lithograph - 1964
Located in Roma, IT
Holy Bible -  Jeremiah's Prophecy Against King Joachim is Color lithograph on heavy rag paper realized in 1964. It is part of Biblia Sacra vulgatæ edition is published by Rizzoli-Med...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Best Friends II (dog man's best friend vintage painting figurative earth tones)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
In "Best Friends", the painter suggests the idea of a giant pet dog remaining reliable and comforting for the man, regardless of his giant-size. keywords; surrealism, animals, dog, ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Star Wars Galaxy Darth Vader 1994 Signed Limited Edition Lithograph
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Ken Steacy 1994 Signed Limited Edition Star Wars Galaxy Darth Vader "Galaxy" 1994 Artist: Ken Steacy Medium: Lithograph Arches Paper Paper Size: 23½" x 30" inches Image Size: 17½" x...
Category

1990s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Aliyah, Return, O Virgin of Israel Salvador Dali original lithograph
Located in Paonia, CO
Salvador Dali ( 1904 - 1989 ) Aliyah, Return, O Virgin of Israel, Aliyah suite edition 232/ 250 published Shorewood Press 1968 on Arches paper paper size 25 x 19.63 image size 20....
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

My Secret is Safe With You -21st Century, Surrealism, Figurative, Men and Animal
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. About Artist Bor...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

St. George
Located in OPOLE, PL
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) - St. George Lithograph from 1970. Dimensions of work: 68 x 50 cm On B.F.K Rives paper as stated in the Field catalogue. Reference: Field 72-6G The wor...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Conquest of Cosmos The Last Comer of The Last Planet
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Conquest of Cosmos The Last Comer of The Last Planet MEDIUM: Etching SIGNED: Hand Signed EDITION NUMBER: EA MEASUREMENTS: 27.5" x 39.5" YEAR: 1974...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

"Pieta" (2021) By John Tarantola, Surrealistic Nude Portrait Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
John Tarantola's original nude portrait "Pieta" (2021) is a beautiful surrealist oil on panel painting that depicts two young athletic male figures atop a red cloth in vast desert du...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Miró, Composition, (Cramer 249; Mourlot 1258), Joan Miró Lithographs (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph on vélin paper. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the volume, Joan Miró Lithographs, Volume IV 1981. Published by Maeght Éditeur...
Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Adam, Eve and the Forbidden Fruit - Lithograph by Marc Chagall - 1960
Located in Roma, IT
Color lithograph realized by Marc Chagall in 1960 to illustrate "The Bible".  Edition of 6500, published by Tériade in no. 33 and 34 of the Art Magazine Verve. Printed by Mourlot a...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

The Blue Cow - Original lithograph - Mourlot #488
Located in Paris, IDF
Marc CHAGALL The Blue Cow, 1967 Original lithograph (Mourlot workshop) Not signed On paper 31 x 24 cm (c. 12 x 10 in) REFERENCE : Catalog raisonne Mourlot #488 Edited by XX Siecle ...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Le cercle visceral du Cosmos from La Conquete du Cosmos Etching by Salvador Dali
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Salvador Dali, Spanish (1904 - 1989) Title: Le cercle visceral du Cosmos from La Conquete du Cosmos Year: 1974 Medium: Etching with Litho...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph, Etching

Place de la Concorde, Surrealist Etching by Salvador Dali 1963
Located in Long Island City, NY
Spanish artist Salvador Dali is considered to be the father of Surrealism, renowned for his technical skill and unique style. This etching features a city landscape with fountains, c...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching, Aquatint

Conventional sentiment. Limited edition print Surreal Established Polish artist
Located in Warsaw, PL
Giclee limited edition print by worldwidely established Polish artist Rafal Olbinski. Figurative surrealistic print with man and a woman standing on the road. The road is transformin...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Color

Black and white life" interior landscape by Volskaya Liliya
Located in Zofingen, AG
Black and white life" interior landscape by Volskaya Lilia. This is a complex picture with a huge semantic load, the inner world of the child is revealed here. Through dreams, throug...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Cardboard

Le Cheval (The Horse) — Mid-Century Cubism
Located in Myrtle Beach, SC
Léopold Survage, 'Le Cheval' (The Horse), color etching, edition 60, 1953. Signed and numbered '46/60' in pencil. Initialed in the plate, lower right. A superb, richly-inked impressi...
Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Salvador Dali "Behold, Thou Art Fair" from The Song of Songs of King Solomon
Located in Pembroke Pines, FL
Artist: Salvador Dali Title: "Behold, Thou Art Fair" from the Portfolio Song of Songs of Solomon Year: 1972 Medium: Color Etching with Gold Dust on Arches Paper, signed in pencil Edi...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Etching

Composition (Field 69-3; M/L. 1600), VI tavole dal ciclo della, Biblia Sacra
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph in colors on vélin Fabriano charta ex meris pannis "ab alveo" manu fabricata, perlucidis figuris intexta paper. Paper size: 19 x 13.75 inches. Inscription: Signed in the p...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Composition - Original Color Lithograph by Antoni Clavé - 1943
Located in Roma, IT
Hand signed and dated. Signed on plate. Very good conditions Passepartout included : 49 x 34 cm Image Dimensions : 25 x16 cm This artwork is shipped from Italy. Under existing legis...
Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Surrealist composition
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: collotype (after the Miro lithograph). Printed in 1947 in an edition of 1500 by Meriden Gravure and published by Curt Valentin for "The Prints of Joan Miro" portfolio. Size: ...
Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

Le Lézard Aux Plumes D'or: Plate I (Mourlot 803; Cramer 148), Joan Miró
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Joan Miro (1893-1983) Title: Le Lézard Aux Plumes D'or: Plate I (Mourlot 803; Cramer 148) Year: 1971 Edition: H.C.; 195, plus proofs Inscription: Signed and inscribed ‘H.C.’ ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Dali Inaguracion Teatro Museo Figueras Espana Septiember 1974 Poster
Located in Paonia, CO
Dali Inaguracion Teatro Museo Figueras Espana Septiember 1974 is a rare plate signed vintage poster celebrating the opening of the Salvad...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Color

La Sirene, Japanese Surrealist Nude Etching and Aquatint by Masuo Ikeda
Located in Long Island City, NY
La Sirene Masuo Ikeda, Japanese (1934–1997) Date: 1969 Etching and Aquatint on BFK Rives, signed and numbered in pencil Edition of 38/45 Image Size: 23.5 x 19.5 inches Size: 28 x 21....
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching, Aquatint

Indoor Cloud, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
This oil painting transforms a restaurant's holiday ceiling decoration into something realistic and surreal. It captures the memory of a special evening while...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

The Cavaliers of King Arthur, from Tristan and Iseult
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Salvador Dali Title: The Cavaliers of King Arthur Portfolio: Tristan and Iseult Medium: Color engraving Year: 1970 Edition: XII/XXV Frame Size: 25 1/4" x 20 3/4" Sheet Size: ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Engraving

Crossing of the Red Sea- Etching by Marc Chagall - 1956
Located in Roma, IT
Etching on Montval wove paper, realized by Marc Chagall in 1931-39 and published by Tériade in 1956. Edition of 275+30 out of commerce copies. Not signed nor numbered, as issued. ...
Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Salvador Dali - Nude with Raised Arms - Lithograph
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Salvador Dali - Nude with Raised Arms - Original Handsigned Lithograph Dimensions: 77 x 55 cm 1970 Signed in pencil and numbered Edition : /CXX References : Field 70-8(Page 158)
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Wild Ride of the Dream Chaser contemporary surrealist painting
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Dreams, with their ephemeral and often surreal qualities, can be a guide in creating artwork that explores the unexpected. "Wild Ride of the Dream Chaser" depicts a moment from a vib...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Linen, Oil

Miró, Composition (Cramer 145; Mourlot, 738-740), Derrière le miroir (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph on vélin paper. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the volume, Derrière le miroir, N° 193-194. Published by Aimé Maeght, Éditeur,...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Oil on Canvas Painting -- Home II
Located in Troy, NY
This oil painting is a wonderful example of surrealist ideals. The background of the painting is a rich blue with streaks of white, yellow, and lighter blue spheres that seem to swir...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

L'Oiseau Bleu - Etching by Johnny Friedlaender - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
L'oiseau bleu is a print realized by Johnny Friedlaender (Plonia, 1912 - Paris, 1992). Etching on paper. Hand-Signed lower right, edition lower left. Numbered, edition of 5/20 prin...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Salvador Dali - Erotic Grapefruit - Original Hand-Signed Lithograph
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Salvador Dali - Erotic Grapefruit - Original Hand-Signed Lithograph 1969 Dimensions: P. 57 x 37 cm Sheet: 75 x 56 cm Handsigned, EA (Epreuve d'Artiste) Excellent Condition Reference...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Happy People in Pink - Lithograph (Maeght)
Located in Paris, IDF
Paul KLEE (1879 - 1940) Happy character Color photolithograph after a painting Signed in the plate On vellum 83 x 60 cm (c. 32 x 24 in) Excellent condition
Category

Early 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Lithograph

'The Holy Grail', Last Supper, Egyptian Iconography, Seattle Art Museum, Surreal
By Leo Kenney
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower center, 'Leo Kenney' (American, 1925-2001) and dated 1947. A seminal figure in the second generation of Northwest School artists, Leo Kenney was, like many of his conte...
Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, India Ink, Watercolor

Heaven 18 - Beatrice's Splendor - Original woodcut - 1963 (Field # p. 289)
Located in Paris, IDF
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) Heaven 18 - Beatrice's Splendor Original woodcut Signature printed in the plate 1960/63 Printed on paper Vélin BFK Rives Size 32,8 x 26,4 cm (c. 13 x 10 in...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

No.119 - black and white surreal double exp. photography, limited edition of 15
Located in London, GB
No.119 captures a phantom ascent in the desert, blending surrealism with the raw textures of nature. Created using double exposure on 4x5 large format film, this haunting black-and-w...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Photographic Film, Giclée

“Foreign Bodies” Photography 24" x 24" inch Edition of 24 by Brian Ziff
Located in Culver City, CA
“Foreign Bodies” Photography 24" x 24" inch Edition of 24 by Brian Ziff Giclee (Archival Ink) Print on Canson Platine Fibre Rag From "Rite of Spring" series In this melancholy se...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Archival Ink, Rag Paper, Giclée

Salvador Dali - The War
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Salvador Dali - The War - Original Etching Dimensions: 38 x 28 cm Edition: 235 1967 Embossed signature On Arches Vellum References : Field 67-10 (p. 34-35)
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

UNTITLED
Located in Portland, ME
Drawing, Ink and colored pencil or Watercolor and color pencil, 2013-2020. 6 x 7 5/8 or 7 5/8 x 6 inches. Signed and inscribed, verso. One of a series of untitled drawings on various...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Color Pencil

Surrealist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Surrealist art 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 art 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, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, and Leonor Fini. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Lithograph 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 art, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available. Prices for art 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 $1,450,000, while the average work sells for $1,426.

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