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.
$4,810Sale Price|40% Off
St. George Lithograph by Salvador Dali, 1972, Edition 187/250
Located in OPOLE, PL
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) - St. George Lithograph from 1972. The edition of 187/250. Dimensions of work: 68 x 50 cm. On B.F.K Rives paper as stated in the Field catalogue. Refer...
Lithograph
$1,290Sale Price|40% Off
Queen of the Chanterelles - Surrealist Figurative in Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
Queen of the Chanterelles - Surrealist Figurative in Acrylic on Canvas Bright, fantastical composition by TEMBO (20th Century). A woman is depicted in profile, head slightly tilted ...
Canvas, Acrylic
René Magritte - LE DOMAINE D'ARNHEIM Limited Surrealism French Contemporary
Located in Madrid, Madrid
René Magritte - LE DOMAINE D'ARNHEIM, 1962 (THE DOMAIN OF ARNHEIM) Date of creation: 2010 Medium: Lithograph on BFK Rives Paper Edition number: 155/275 Size: 60 x 45 cm Condition: Ne...
Paper, Lithograph
$4,872Sale Price|20% Off
L'Empire des Lumières Lithograph, Surrealist, Signed, Edition of 275
Located in Milwaukee, WI
Framed 25.38 x 31.38 in Color lithograph after the 1964 oil on canvas by René Magritte, plate-signed by Magritte and numbered from the edition of 275. The lithograph features the ...
Lithograph
La Grande Danseuse - Etching by Marc Chagall - 1967
By Marc Chagall
Located in Roma, IT
Etching and aquatint on Japan paper. Hand signed and numbered in pencil. Edition of 23/35 prints. Excellent condition. Ref. Cramer, Marc Chagall, The Illustrated Books, no. 6
Etching
Memories of Surrealism Dressed in The Nude in The Surrealist Fashion
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Memories of Surrealism Dressed in The Nude in The Surrealist Fashion MEDIUM: Etching on Japon Paper SIGNED: Hand Signed by Salvador Dali EDITION NUMB...
Etching
Untitled Lithograph, Surrealist Style, 1970s, Edition of 150
By Wifredo Lam
Located in Roma, IT
Untitled is a modern artwork realized by Wifredo Lam in 1970s. Mixed colored lithograph, realized after one of the Artist's paintings. Hand monogrammed in the right lower margin w...
Lithograph
Look Not Upon Me..., Surrealist Etching with Gold Dust by Salvador Dali
Located in Long Island City, NY
Salvador Dali, Spanish (1904 - 1989) - Look Not Upon Me..., Portfolio: The Song of Songs of King Solomon, Year: 1972, Medium: Color Etching with Gold Dust on Arches Paper, signed ...
Gold Leaf
$750
"Studio Sketch of Arthur", Surrealist Portrait, Brown, Collage, Acrylic Painting
By John Baker
Located in Franklin, MA
John Baker's "Studio Sketch of Arthur" is an acrylic painting on canvas with collage 20 x 16 inches in tans and browns with pink, yellow and blue accents. Part of the "Studio Visitor...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Et Dimitte Nobis Debita - Lithograph ì- 1966
Located in Roma, IT
Et Dimitte Nobis Debita - From "Pater Noster" is a colorful illustration (offset lithograph) by Salvador Dalí, from the volume "Pater Noster" published by Rizzoli Editore, Milan, 196...
Lithograph
Figure in Doorway, Surrealist Etching by Leonor Fini
By Leonor Fini
Located in Long Island City, NY
Leonor Fini, Argentine/French (1918 - 1996) - Figure in Doorway, Medium: Etching, signed and numbered in pencil, Edition: 207/220, Image Size: 7.5 x 5.25 inches, Size: 12.5 x 10 in. ...
Etching
$2,595
Salvador Dali Surrealist Etching, Signed, 1980, from Neuf Paysages Portfolio
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Salvador Dali Title: Paysage avec figures-soleil from sun Portfolio: Neuf Paysages Medium: Etching Year: 1980 Edition: 3/49 Sheet Size: 14 7/8" x 14 7/8" Signature: Initialed...
Etching
Armando Villagran Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Armando Villagran (Mexican, 1945-1995) Untitled (Figure with Animal), 1991 Oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right Canvas: 55"h x 43.5"w, overall (with frame): 56"h x 44"w Born ...
Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Tramp (pet dog, beagle, troubadour guitare, animal portrait, surrealist painting
By Rudolf Kosow
Located in Quebec, Quebec
"Tramp," by Rudolf Kosow, is a whimsical painting that delights in its surreal juxtaposition of scale and serenity. At the center is a beagle's face, depicted with lifelike detail and expressiveness, eyes glistening with a calm intelligence that beckons the viewer into a state of contemplation. Positioned against the backdrop of the dog's vast visage, a small, solitary figure strums a guitar. The musician, dressed in casual attire, appears as a wandering troubadour, his music resonating with the quietude of the scene. This miniature man, though diminutive in size, plays a significant role in the narrative, providing a sense of companionship and shared experience. The painting's title, "Tramp," suggests a free spirit, both in the itinerant musician and the beagle, known for its adventurous and exploratory nature. Kosow's piece is an ode to the wandering souls and the moments of unexpected harmony they encounter. Through "Tramp," we are reminded of the melodies that score our journeys and the silent kinship we find along the way. It is an invitation to embrace the music of life, to find connection in the tranquility of existence, and to acknowledge the symphonies that unfold in the presence of kindred spirits, regardless of their size or form. keywords; painting on canvas, surrealist painting, animal vs human, americana, nature, man, man vs nature, surrealism, giant animal...
Canvas, Oil
Framed Drue Lithograph by Surrealist Leonora Carrington
Located in Columbia, MO
Leonora Carrington (British-Mexican 1917 - 2011) was a painter, writer, and key figure in Surrealism whose work explored the sacred, the mystical, and the magical in everyday life. B...
Lithograph
Forgotten Future, Memories of Vintage Science Fiction
Located in Oslo, NO
This painting is inspired by the imagery of classic science fiction and the optimistic visions of the future that shaped much of the twentieth century. Geometric structures, mechanic...
Canvas, Acrylic, Watercolor, Pencil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Owner (black Lab dog, sleeping lady, vintage dress, animal, surrealist painting)
By Rudolf Kosow
Located in Quebec, Quebec
In "Owner," Rudolf Kosow captures a tender moment of connection that is as powerful as it is subtle. The main subject of the painting is a large black Lab, soulful dog, its fur textu...
Canvas, Oil
Surrealist Figurative Aquatint Etching California Modernist Sculptor Artist
By Jack Zajac
Located in Surfside, FL
Jack Zajac, American, born 1929 1964 Etching and aquatint hand printed on Fabriano paper, pencil signed and editioned. Edition Roman Numeral III Image: 12 9/16 x 8 5/8 in. (31.9 x 2...
Etching, Aquatint
Joan Miró. Untitled. 1934. Pastel and ink on paper. 63.6 x 47.1 cm.
By Joan Miró
Located in Barcelona, CT
Joan Miró (Barcelona, 1893 – Palma, 1983) Untitled. 20/03/1934. Pastel and ink on paper. 63.6 x 47.1 cm. (134 x 110 cm). Signed on the reverse. Provenance: - Pierre Matisse...
Pastel, Ink
Imaginations & Objects of The Future Liquid Tornado Bath Tub
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Imaginations & Objects of The Future Liquid Tornado Bath Tub MEDIUM: Etching SIGNED: Hand Signed by Salvador Dali PUBLISHER: Merril Chase, Chicago/Al...
Etching
Memories of Surrealism Surrealist King
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Memories of Surrealism Surrealist King MEDIUM: Etching on Japon Paper SIGNED: Hand Signed by Salvador Dali EDITION NUMBER: A XXX/XL MEASUREMENTS: 29...
Etching
$750
1970s Modernist Swiss Colorful Surrealism Signed Dada Lithograph Andre Thomkins
Located in Surfside, FL
This one is titled "Walk in a Broken Lake" and depicts a surreal figure of a robed woman walking in an abstract landscape in yellow, green, red and blue with a Salvador Dali esque qu...
Lithograph, Offset
$2,800Sale Price|20% Off
Centre Noeuds (Sabatier 393), Roberto Matta
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Roberto Matta (1912-2002) Title: Centre Noeuds (Sabatier 393) Year: 1974 Edition: 38/125, plus proofs Medium: Etching on Arches paper Size: 23.875 x 17.5 inches Inscription: ...
Etching
Les Amants Print by René Magritte, Offset, Framed, 2012, 7.5x10"
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Les Amants by René Magritte is elegantly framed in a sleek black metal frame with a 3/8-inch front profile and a 7/8-inch side profile. The overall dimensions are approximately 8.5 x...
Offset
"The Game of Time", Surrealist Oil on Canvas, 1967
Located in Astoria, NY
John Philip Capello (American, b. 1939), "The Game of Time", Oil on Canvas, 1967, signed lower right, signed, titled, dated, and artist's stamp verso, giltwood frame. Image: 28.5" H...
Canvas, Oil
Three Children, Surrealist Lithograph by Jean Jansem
By Jean Jansem
Located in Long Island City, NY
Jean Jansem, French (1920 - 2013) - Three Children, Year: circa 1960, Medium: Lithograph, signed in the plate lower right, Image Size: 12.5 x 9.5 inches, Frame Size: 20.25 x 17.2...
Lithograph
Saturn Over Titan Tower, UT, by Astronomical Artist Joe Bergeron
Located in New York, NY
Joe Bergeron (American) Saturn From Titan, 1980 Oil on canvas Framed: 40 x 30 x 1 1/2 in. Signed lower right: Bergeron 80 Inscribed verso Joe Bergeron grew up in the twin hamlets of Endicott and Endwell in upstate New York. As a boy he taught himself the constellations using a cardboard star wheel, watching in awe as stars he had never before identified rose according to prediction. Later he began a more thorough examination of the heavens using various small telescopes. A devoted hiker, Joe prowled his surroundings at all hours of the day and night, often discovering semi-abandoned sites of human activity which his imagination invested with the mystery of ancient ruins. Joe was known as a "class artist" in high school, mostly by virtue of superhero drawings done in ballpoint pen. His early efforts at painting were clumsy at best and disastrous at worst, leading him to be intimidated by the brush. Finally, called upon to produce planetarium shows during a summer job, Joe taught himself to paint so he could create visuals for the shows. Soon he was selling paintings and drawings at science fiction art...
Canvas, Acrylic
$72Sale Price|20% Off
Golconde Offset Print, Surrealist Style, Unframed, 27.5x39.5
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Golconde" is a thought-provoking work that embodies Magritte's signature style of surrealism and his exploration of the subconscious and the irrational. It continues to captivate vi...
Offset
$1,450
Marc Chagall Lithograph Petit Cheval Noir " Little Black Horse" Signed & Framed
By Marc Chagall
Located in Plainview, NY
Marc Chagall ( Russian 1887- 1985) Petit Cheval Noir (Little Black Horse), lithograph, signed in the plate, printed in Paris at Mourlot Studios and presented in a clean, gallery-styl...
Lithograph
$1,560Sale Price|20% Off
Friendship, Braniff International Airways Flying Colors Collection
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Alexander Calder (1898-1976) Title: Friendship, Braniff International Airways Flying Colors Collection Year: 1975 Medium: Lithograph on vélin d’Arches paper Size: 20 x 26 inc...
Lithograph
Egg in the Cage, Surrealist Oil Painting, Signed, 1983, 50x40 cm
Located in Roma, IT
Oil on canvas realized in 1983. Signed and dated. A striking and contemplative surrealist composition depicting an empty birdcage suspended before an arched opening overlooking a s...
Oil
Salvador Dali "Tristan and the Dragon" Drypoint Print
Located in Boston, MA
Artist: Dali, Salvador Title: Tristan and the Dragon Series: Tristan et Iseult Date: 1970 Medium: drypoint printed in color Unframed Dimensions: 17.7" x 13" Framed Dimensions:...
Drypoint
$743Sale Price|20% Off
Classical Sculpture Fragments Painting Cut Paper Relief Sunset Landscape Art
By Gozo
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Surrealist acrylic painting on cut paper and mounted panel, depicting fragmented sculptures across a dreamlike sunset terrain. This original work by Gozo Collective is part of the Fr...
Paper, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$3,067Sale Price|20% Off
Les Songes Drôlatiques de Pantagruel, Original Lithograph, 1973, Signed
Located in OPOLE, PL
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) - Les Songes Drôlatiques de Pantagruel, Planche II Lithograph from 1973. Edition 10/250 on Japon paper. Dimensions of work: 76 x 56 cm Publisher: Carpen...
Lithograph
DALI, The Work and the Man - by Robert DESCHARNES # Hardcover Art Book
Located in Paris, IDF
Dali The Work and the Man by Robert Descharnes Hardcover coffee table art book. Master artist Salvador Dali large coffee table book. Dated 1984. This 453-page book is in English...
Paper
Dali's Inferno
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Dali's Inferno MEDIUM: Lithograph SIGNED: Hand Signed PUBLISHER: Levine & Levine for DALART EDITION NUMBER: 90/250 MEASUREMENTS: 21.5" x 30" ...
Lithograph
Magritte Portfolio V 20 lithographs- 20th Century, Surrealist, Figurative Print
Located in Sint-Truiden, BE
Complete set of 20 color lithographs in a beautiful burgundy board with ties, plate-signed by Magritte and numbered from the edition of 275. The lithograph features the dry stamps of the Magritte Foundation & ADAGP and is countersigned in pencil by Mr. Charly Herscovici, President of the Magritte Foundation, Chairman of the Magritte Museum and unique representative of the Magritte Succession. A proof of edition is printed on the back of the lithograph, guaranteeing its authenticity. Magritte was a Belgian surrealist artist whose witty and thought-provoking images challenged observers? preconditioned perceptions of reality. Magritte's work frequently displays a juxtaposition of ordinary objects in an unusual context, giving new meanings to familiar things.Magritte grew up in a simple and somewhat tragic household. His father was a modest tailor. His mother, who was mentally unsound, committed suicide in the year 1912. Magritte started drawing at a young age, and his first paintings, produced c. 1915, were Impressionistic in style.Magritte first worked as a draughtsman in a wallpaper factory and, in the year 1922, fell in love with and married Georgette Berger. In 1926, Magritte signed...
Lithograph
$1,275
Don't Let Us Fade Away - Original Colorful Mixed Media Surrealist Landscape Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Robert Lebsack creates artworks using mixed media with ink, acrylic, and charcoal on archival copies of newspapers, textbooks, and sheet music. As a visionary artist, Lebsack weaves ...
Paper, Charcoal, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel
LINCOLN IN DALIVISION Platinum Bas Relief with Original Box
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Lincoln in Dalivision Platinum Bas Relief MEDIUM: Bas Relief SIGNED: Embossed Signature. The Bas Relief bears the artist signature toward the bottom...
Metal
"SOLO Signed Lithograph, Surrealist Mini Landscape, 1992, 6x7 in."
Located in Union City, NJ
SOLO is a hand drawn, limited edition lithograph by the American surrealist artist Fanny Brennan, created using traditional hand lithography techniques printed on archival Arches pri...
Lithograph
Lithographs II (1046), Surrealist Lithography by Joan Miro
By Joan Miró
Located in Long Island City, NY
Joan Miro was a Spanish Surrealist artist, world-renowned for his unique art style that blended surrealist fantasy and modern life. This lithograph is part of the series "Lithographs...
Lithograph
Femme au Clown Etching, Surrealist, Signed, 1960s, Edition 49/150
Located in Roma, IT
Etching on chamois-colored laid paper, realized by Dalì in 1968/69. Plate from "Faust (La Nuit de Walpurgis), published by Argillet, Paris. Edition of 49/150, hand colored. Hand s...
Etching
Les Chants de Maldoror
Located in New York, NY
Heliogravure, etching, and drypoint, 1934. From the deluxe edition of 40 with the drypoint remarqué, before the published edition of 100 printed from the reduced plate. From the po...
Etching, Drypoint
$5,344
Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) – Lithograph with drypoint etching Auvergne paper
Located in Varese, IT
Color lithograph with drypoint etching on Auvergne paper from the series 'Flordali (Les Fruits)', edited in 1969. Limited edition, numbered as LXXXI/CL in lower left corner. Hand-sig...
Paper, Drypoint, Etching, Lithograph
$4,705
The Beach at Sète, Original Drypoint Etching with Watercolor, 1967, Signed
Located in OPOLE, PL
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) La Plage de Sète (The Beach at Sète) Original drypoint etching with hand-applied watercolor on Japon paper, from the deluxe edition of Poèmes Secrets d’Ap...
Watercolor, Etching, Drypoint
Salvador Dali Surrealist Etching, Signed, 1974, Le Cavalier et le Cerf
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Salvador Dali Title: Le Cavalier et le Cerf Portfolio: Le Bestiaire de La Fontaine Medium: Engraving with color added by pochoir on Richard de Bas paper Year: 1974 Edition: X...
Etching
The House at the End of the Road - Original Framed Blue Floral Artwork on Canvas
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...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Henry IV" Salvador Dalí, Surrealist, Shakespeare, Illustration, Stylized
Located in New York, NY
Salvador Dalí Henry IV, from the Shakespeare II Suite, 1970 Signed lower right, numbered lower left, inscribed on the reverse Color etching and drypoint on B.F.K. Rives vellum paper ...
Paper, Etching
Marc Chagall Lithograph, Surrealist, 1960, Unsigned, Framed, Paradise
By Marc Chagall
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Marc Chagall Title: Paradise Portfolio: 1960 Drawings for the Bible Medium: Lithograph Date: 1960 Edition: Unnumbered Frame Size: 22 1/4" x 18 3/4" Sheet Size: 14 3/8" x 10 1...
Lithograph
Flight of fancy.
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
In 1981 Maggie Taylor (b. 1961) began to photograph while she was a student at Yale University majoring in philosophy. She primarily took photographs of suburban landscapes and stran...
Digital Pigment
Mr and Mrs Woodman : Shared Joy - Original signed silver print
By Man Ray
Located in Paris, IDF
MAN RAY (Emmanuel Radnitsky, known as) (1890–1976) Mr. and Mrs. Woodman (Shared Joy), 1970 Photograph: Original silver print Artist’s signature stamp on the reverse On silver paper,...
Silver Gelatin
New moon.
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
In 1981 Maggie Taylor (b. 1961) began to photograph while she was a student at Yale University majoring in philosophy. She primarily took photographs of suburban landscapes and stran...
Digital Pigment
Tribute to Leonardo da Vinci, Electronics - Original Handsigned Etching
Located in Paris, IDF
Salvador DALI (1904-1969) Tribute to Leonardo da Vinci, Electronics, 1975 Original etching Signed in pencil Justified trial proof (Essai) On Arches vellum 56 x 76 cm (22 x 29.9 in) ...
Etching
Intriguing Surrealist Painting of Downtown Chicago by James Mesplé
Located in Chicago, IL
An Intriguing 1991 Surrealist painting of downtown Chicago by artist James Mesplé. Oil and tempera on panel. Signed and dated "James Mesplé 1991", lower right; titled on label on ...
Oil, Tempera, Panel
$6,264Sale Price|20% Off
Le Séducteur (The Tempter) Surrealist Lithograph, Framed and Signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
Framed 34.25 x 38.50 in Color lithograph after the 1951 oil on canvas by René Magritte, plate-signed by Magritte and numbered from the edition of 300.
Lithograph
$2,595
Salvador Dali Surrealist Etching, Signed, 1980, from Neuf Paysages Portfolio
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Salvador Dali Title: Espace paysage from cobea Portfolio: Neuf Paysages Medium: Etching Year: 1980 Edition: 3/49 Frame Size: 22" x 22" Sheet Size: 14 7/8" x 14 7/8" Signature...
Etching
Nadine's Bookcase
Located in New York, NY
Created by Surrealist Fanny Brennan from 1992-96, Nadine's Bookcase is a lithograph in colors on wove paper. Hand-monogrammed in pencil and numbered from the edition of 250, the artw...
Lithograph
In Tentazione - Lithograph - 1966
Located in Roma, IT
In Tentationem - From "Pater Noster" is a very interesting illustration (offset lithograph) by Salvador Dalí, from the volume "Pater Noster" published by Rizzoli Editore, Milan, 1966...
Lithograph
Les Chiens Ont Soif VII, Surrealist Lithograph by Max Ernst
By Max Ernst
Located in Long Island City, NY
Max Ernst, German (1891 - 1976) - Les Chiens Ont Soif VII, Portfolio: Les Chiens Ont Soif, Year: 1964, Medium: Lithograph, Edition: 165/320, Size: 17 x 24.5 in. (43.18 x 62.23 c...
Lithograph
Miro a l'Encre I (Cramer 161), Surrealist Lithograph by Joan Miro
By Joan Miró
Located in Long Island City, NY
Joan Miro, Spanish (1893 - 1983) - Miro a l'Encre I (Cramer 161), Year: 1972, Medium: Lithograph on Wove Paper, signed in the plate, Size: 13.5 x 10 in. (34.29 x 25.4 cm), Frame S...
Lithograph