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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
Historical Document - Hunter Thompson
Historical Document - Hunter Thompson

Historical Document - Hunter Thompson

By Ralph Steadman

Located in Hollywood, FL

Artist: Ralph Steadman Title: Historical Document - Hunter Thompson Medium: One color silkscreen on White Rising Stonehenge Deckle Edge Paper Size: 13 x 22 Inches Edition: of 300 Ye...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Silk, Screen

(after) Kurt Seligmann - pochoir

(after) Kurt Seligmann - pochoir

By Kurt Seligmann

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: pochoir (after the painting). This exquisitely rich impression on black wove paper was published in 1941 by the Nierendorf Gallery, of New York, for the cover of a now quite ...

Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Derriere le Miroir, 1961
Joan Miro, Untitled, from Derriere le Miroir, 1961

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Derriere le Miroir, 1961

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the April 1961 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 125-126, published by Maeght Editeur, P...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Leonor Fini, Untitled, from Parallel, 1969
Leonor Fini, Untitled, from Parallel, 1969

Leonor Fini, Untitled, from Parallel, 1969

By Leonor Fini

Located in Fairfield, CT

This exquisite lithograph by Leonor Fini (1907–1996), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the folio Parallelement (Parallel), Paul Verlaine, illustre de lithographies originales de Le...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Cherie Floriferous - original surrealist oil painting - wildlife art
Cherie Floriferous - original surrealist oil painting - wildlife art

Cherie Floriferous - original surrealist oil painting - wildlife art

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Manhattan Skyline
Manhattan Skyline

Manhattan Skyline

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Hollywood, FL

ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Manhattan Skyline MEDIUM: Lithograph SIGNED: Hand Signed PUBLISHER: Levine & Levine EDITION NUMBER: 49/150 MEASUREMENTS: 29.75" x21.25" YEAR: 19...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Five Red Tulips - Framed Pink Original Whimsical Floral Artwork on Canvas
Five Red Tulips - Framed Pink Original Whimsical Floral Artwork on Canvas

Five Red Tulips - Framed Pink Original Whimsical Floral Artwork on Canvas

By Carlos Gamez de Francisco

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Carlos Gamez de Francisco’s "The House at the End of the Road" is a striking blend of hyperrealism, figurative surrealism, and imaginative narrative art. This 12-inch round acrylic p...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Dalia, Surrealist Lithograph by Andre Masson
Dalia, Surrealist Lithograph by Andre Masson

Dalia, Surrealist Lithograph by Andre Masson

By André Masson

Located in Long Island City, NY

Andre Masson, French (1896 - 1987) - Dalia from Je Reve Portfolio, Year: 1975, Medium: Lithograph on Arches, Signed and numbered in pencil, Edition: 93/125, Size: 20 in. x 26 in....

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Frontispiece
Frontispiece

Frontispiece

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in OPOLE, PL

Salvador Dali (1904-1989) - Frontispiece Etching from 1967. Th edition of 122/145 on Japan paper. Enhanced with watercolor.. Dimensions of work: 38 x 28.5 cm Publisher: Graphik E...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Etching

Purple Leaves - Large Colorful Surrealist Figurative Feminine Portrait Painting
Purple Leaves - Large Colorful Surrealist Figurative Feminine Portrait Painting

Purple Leaves - Large Colorful Surrealist Figurative Feminine Portrait Painting

By Carlos Gamez de Francisco

Located in Los Angeles, CA

The figurative surrealist paintings of Carlos Gamez de Francisco are heavily influenced by his Cuban upbringing. This presence exposed Francisco to the world of figurative arts while...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Watercolor

Pippin Bumble's Favorite Time of Day, Oil Painting
Pippin Bumble's Favorite Time of Day, Oil Painting

Pippin Bumble's Favorite Time of Day, Oil Painting

By Diane Flick

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A robot elephant balances an heirloom tomato and a pot of daisy flower on its head. This is artist Diane Flick's first painting using AI-generated reference p...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Femme Ecuyere
Femme Ecuyere

Femme Ecuyere

By Marc Chagall

Located in Columbia, MO

Marc Chagall (Russian-French-Jewish, 1887 - 1985) was a painter, illustrator, and designer whose work combined modernist experimentation with deep roots in Jewish folk culture and me...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Rene Magritte, The Difficult Crossing, 1968 (after)
Rene Magritte, The Difficult Crossing, 1968 (after)

Rene Magritte, The Difficult Crossing, 1968 (after)

By René Magritte

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph after Rene Magritte (1898–1967), titled La Traversee Difficile (The Difficult Crossing), from the folio Les Enfants Trouves de Magritte (The Found Children ...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

original lithograph

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 in...

Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Untitled - Lithograph by Wifredo Lam - 1970s

Untitled - Lithograph by Wifredo Lam - 1970s

By Wifredo Lam

Located in Roma, IT

Untitled is a modern artwork realized by Wifredo Lam in 1970s Mixed colored lithograph. Handmonogrammed on the right lower margin with original dry stamp by Galleria Nuovo Sagittar...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

The Top Songbirds - Original Surrealist Figurative Portrait Painting on Canvas
The Top Songbirds - Original Surrealist Figurative Portrait Painting on Canvas

The Top Songbirds - Original Surrealist Figurative Portrait Painting on Canvas

By Carlos Gamez de Francisco

Located in Los Angeles, CA

The figurative surrealistic paintings of Carlos Gamez de Francisco are heavily influenced by his Cuban upbringing in a Russian governed academia setting. This presence exposed Franci...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Man Ray, Rayograph, from Electa Editrice, 1980 (after)
Man Ray, Rayograph, from Electa Editrice, 1980 (after)

Man Ray, Rayograph, from Electa Editrice, 1980 (after)

By Man Ray

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite heliogravure after Man Ray (1890–1976), titled Rayograph, originates from the 1980 folio Man Ray, Electa Editrice Portfolios. Published by Gruppo Editoriale Electra, Milano, and printed by Gruppo Editoriale Electra, Milano, 1980. This image exemplifies Man Ray’s pioneering “rayograph” technique—a cameraless photographic process in which objects were placed directly onto photosensitive paper and exposed to light, creating luminous abstract compositions that fused chance, intuition, and surrealist invention. Through this groundbreaking process, Man Ray transformed photography into pure visual poetry, redefining its potential as a form of modern art. Executed as a heliogravure on velin paper, this work measures 15.75 x 11.75 inches. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of Gruppo Editoriale Electra, Milano. Artwork Details: Artist: After Man Ray (1890–1976) Title: Rayograph Medium: Heliogravure on velin paper Dimensions: 15.75 x 11.75 inches (40.01 x 29.84 cm) Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1980 Publisher: Gruppo Editoriale Electra, Milano Printer: Gruppo Editoriale Electra, Milano Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the folio Man Ray, Electa Editrice Portfolios, published and printed by Gruppo Editoriale Electra, Milano, 1980 Notes: Excerpted from the folio (translated from Italian), Limited edition of M examples, drawn in heliogravure on special paper, designed specifically for the Portfolios Electa. Gruppo Editoriale Electra/Milan. Printed in Italy. About the Publication: The Man Ray, Electa Editrice Portfolio (1980) was published by Gruppo Editoriale Electra in Milan as part of the distinguished Electa Portfolios series, which celebrated the masters of 20th-century photography through the artisanal process of heliogravure printing. This edition was dedicated to Man Ray’s seminal body of photographic work from 1920 to 1934—an era in which he redefined modern image-making through technical invention, surrealist experimentation, and intellectual daring. Produced in collaboration with leading photographic historians and Italian master printers, the portfolio was printed on specially manufactured velin paper designed exclusively for the Electa Portfolios, ensuring tonal precision and textural depth true to the artist’s originals. The publication represents one of the most refined posthumous tributes to Man Ray’s legacy, combining Italian craftsmanship with avant-garde vision to preserve the luminous complexity of his photographs. Created with the same devotion to innovation and elegance that characterized Man Ray’s own practice, this edition remains an important intersection of fine art publishing and modernist history. About the Artist: Man Ray (1890–1976) was an American-born painter, sculptor, photographer, filmmaker, and conceptual visionary whose radical imagination and technical innovation transformed modern art and established him as one of the leading figures of the 20th century. Born Emmanuel Radnitzky in Philadelphia, he became a central force in both the Dada and Surrealist movements, defying artistic boundaries and redefining the relationship between art, technology, and the unconscious. After early involvement in New York’s avant-garde with Francis Picabia and Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray moved to Paris in 1921, where he joined a revolutionary circle of artists including Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, and Marcel Duchamp. There, he pioneered the “rayograph,” or photogram—a cameraless photographic technique that used light and shadow to create ethereal abstract compositions—and produced some of the most iconic images in art history, including Le Violon d’Ingres (1924) and Noire et Blanche (1926). His photography, distinguished by its fusion of elegance, surrealism, and psychological depth, captured the essence of modernist Paris and immortalized creative icons such as Kiki de Montparnasse, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce. At the same time, Man Ray’s experimental films, including Le Retour a la Raison (1923) and L’Etoile de mer (1928), and his sculptural works like The Gift (1921) and Object to Be Destroyed (1923), expanded the possibilities of art itself, transforming ordinary objects into symbols of mystery and desire. His conceptual approach—viewing art as an idea rather than an object—anticipated later movements such as Pop Art, Minimalism, and Conceptual Art, profoundly influencing artists like Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, and Joseph Beuys, as well as photographers Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin, Cindy Sherman, and Richard Avedon. Even in exile during World War II, while working in Los Angeles, he continued to innovate, blending Surrealist fantasy with the luminosity of the California landscape before returning to Paris, where he spent his final decades refining his poetic, intellectual, and sensuous vision. Exhibited in major institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Modern, and the Centre Pompidou, Man Ray’s work remains foundational to modern art history—bridging painting, photography, film, and sculpture in a body of work that continues to shape the language of visual culture. Standing alongside Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, and Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray endures as one of the most original and influential artists of the modern era. His highest auction record was achieved by Noire et Blanche (1926), which sold for 3.13 million USD at Christie’s, Paris, on November 9, 2017, confirming his status as a timeless innovator whose genius continues to inspire artists, collectors, and dreamers worldwide. Man Ray Rayograph...

Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Let's Party
Let's Party

Let's Party

By Ralph Steadman

Located in Hollywood, FL

Artist: Ralph Steadman Title: Let's Party Medium: Two color silkscreen on White Rising Stonehenge Deckle Edge Paper Size: 30 x 22 Inches Edition: of 250 Year: 2006 Notes: Custom Fr...

Category

Early 2000s Surrealist Art

Materials

Screen

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Trace on the Water, 1963 (after)
Joan Miro, Untitled, from Trace on the Water, 1963 (after)

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Trace on the Water, 1963 (after)

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph after Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the album Trace sur l'eau (Trace on the Water), originates from the 1963 edition published b...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

"Siren in Green Gold" (2024) Original Oil Painting on Panel
"Siren in Green Gold" (2024) Original Oil Painting on Panel

"Siren in Green Gold" (2024) Original Oil Painting on Panel

Located in Denver, CO

Nadezda's beautiful handmade oil on panel painting "Night Swim" (2024) is a portrait of a woman dressed in an intricate green-gold outfit, donning a headdress and resting in a conten...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Joan Miro, 1956
Joan Miro, Untitled, from Joan Miro, 1956

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Joan Miro, 1956

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1956 publication Joan Miro. Published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, and printed by M...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Salvador Dali "The Fisherman"
Salvador Dali "The Fisherman"

Salvador Dali "The Fisherman"

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Boston, MA

Artist: Dali, Salvador Title: The Fisherman Series: Les Amours de Cassandre Date: 1968 Medium: drypoint with added color Framed Dimensions: 27.5" x 23.5" Signature: Pencil sig...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Drypoint

Musician. By Constantin Selihanov. Bronze.
Musician. By Constantin Selihanov. Bronze.

Musician. By Constantin Selihanov. Bronze.

Located in Riga, LV

Konstantin Vladimirovich Selikhanov (born June 18, 1967, Minsk) is a Belarusian sculptor, artist, and graphic artist, the grandson of sculptor S. I. Selikhanov. The alley leading to ...

Category

Early 2000s Surrealist Art

Materials

Bronze

Femme à l'escargot
Femme à l'escargot

Femme à l'escargot

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in OPOLE, PL

Salvador Dali (1904-1989) - Femme à l'escargot Etching from 1967. The edition of 122/145 on Japan paper. Enhanced with watercolor.. Dimensions of work: 38 x 28.5 cm. Hand signed....

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

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.