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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
Night Room
Night Room

Night Room

By Fanny Brennan

Located in Greenwich, CT

Night Room is a lithograph on paper with an image size of 2.25 x 3.25 inches, initialed 'FMB' lower right and annotated lower left, framed in a contemporary silver and dark gray fram...

Category

20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Master Collection, Huge Original Painting on Canvas, Hand Signed, Surrealism
Master Collection, Huge Original Painting on Canvas, Hand Signed, Surrealism

Master Collection, Huge Original Painting on Canvas, Hand Signed, Surrealism

By Ferjo, Fernando de Jesus Oliveira

Located in Aventura, FL

Original oil painting on canvas. Hand signed lower front by Ferjo. Canvas image size 49 x 69 inches. Canvas is not stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of au...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“Inner Space” Portrait Photography 24" x 24" inch Edition of 24 by Brian Ziff

“Inner Space” Portrait Photography 24" x 24" inch Edition of 24 by Brian Ziff

By Brian Ziff

Located in Culver City, CA

“Inner Space” Portrait Photography 24" x 24" inch Edition of 24 by Brian Ziff Giclee (Archival Ink) Print on Canson Platine Fibre Rag Signed and numbered by the artist Comes with COA signed by the artist Not framed. Ships in tube. From "Unbearable Lightness...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Archival Ink, Rag Paper, Giclée

Stadium
Stadium

Stadium

By Juan Álvarez Cebrián

Located in CAMPO REAL, ES

This large-scale painting presents an architectural interpretation of a football stadium tower, specifically from Real Madrid. The square composition focuses on a fragment that often...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Shards - Critical Masses
Shards - Critical Masses

Shards - Critical Masses

By Marie Cameron

Located in Burlingame, CA

Artist's statement: In my series Critical Masses, I explore the relationship between our species and various small marine creatures to illustrate in symbolic form various narrative...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Seed of Icarus, " Oil Painting

"Seed of Icarus, " Oil Painting

By David Cheifetz

Located in Denver, CO

David Cheifetz's "Seed of Icarus" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a blue background dotted with grapes hanging from stems and one red grape with a halo of yellow a...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Fred Deux - Grey Surrealism IV - Signed Original Etching
Fred Deux - Grey Surrealism IV - Signed Original Etching

Fred Deux - Grey Surrealism IV - Signed Original Etching

By Fred Deux

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Fred Deux - Grey IV - Signed Original Etching Signed and Numbered Edition of 100 Dimensions: 24 x 14 cm Fred Deux Fred Deux, illustrator, oral poet, writer, and, under the pseudonym Jean Douassot, author of a cult book, La Gana, was a singular artist who cannot be categorised in terms of art fashions and trends. This autodidact, born in the basement of a large house in Boulogne-Billancourt to a working-class family, constantly had to overcome, as he would say. “He had to overcome”: overcome the basement walls to access the life which called him and burnt inside him. Overcome the barriers between the arts, moving from drawing to the written word, and from the page to the tape recorder, in the face of which he recounted stories to himself in a sort of endless reverie, constantly exploring the unknown in him. Overcoming and being overcome: gradually immersing himself in drawing, so that it was life itself which overcame him and surrendered to him. Timeline 1924 Born in Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris. The Deux family lived in the basement of a building close to the Seine that was often flooded. These living conditions formed the biographical core around in which the artist would develop his work as a future writer and artist. 1942 Deux worked in a factory as an electrician and night guard. 1943 Deux becomes part of the FTP group to resist against the factory. And then joined the Maquis du Doubs. 1945 At the liberation, Deux joined the Moroccan Goumier, and took part of the campaigns of Vosges, Alsace and Germany. 1947 Returned to France. Installation in Marseille. Worked in an important library that belonged to the family of his wife. 1948 Discovered Breton, Bataille, Cendrars, Peret, Sade... and founded the sub-group of Surrealists in Marseille and formed a link with the literary magazine of Marseille, Cahiers du Sud Encounters the works of Paul Klee. He begins creating his first stains with paint for bicycle and impressions (fabric and ink). At the same time, he begins to take notes for what would become "Les Rats", first version of "La Gana". 1951 Meets Cecile Reims...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

The rest of the archaeologist

The rest of the archaeologist

Located in Roma, RM

Giorgio de Chirico (Greece 1888 - Rome 1978), The Archaeologist's Rest Lithographic pencil on paper 53.5×45 cm. Work executed for the lithograph of the same name. Artwork registere...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Pencil

The Staff (Portraits, Postwar Abstraction, Modern, ~47% OFF - MUST GO)
The Staff (Portraits, Postwar Abstraction, Modern, ~47% OFF - MUST GO)

The Staff (Portraits, Postwar Abstraction, Modern, ~47% OFF - MUST GO)

Located in Kansas City, MO

Rolf Thiele The Staff Color Etching 1974 Size: 12.25 x 11.75 on 21 x 15.5 inches (31.12 × 29.85 cm on 53.34 × 39.37 cm) Edition: 100 Signed, dated and numbered in pencil by the artis...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Etching

A trace of a sunny day
A trace of a sunny day

A trace of a sunny day

Located in Zofingen, AG

The work evokes memories of a safe and warm space where one can simply be. Delphiniums come to symbolize moments that remain with us not as memories, but as an inner sense of peace a...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Memento Mori  -  Critical Masses
Memento Mori  -  Critical Masses

Memento Mori - Critical Masses

By Marie Cameron

Located in Burlingame, CA

Artist's statement: In my series Critical Masses, I explore the relationship between our species and various small marine creatures to illustrate in symbolic form various narrative...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Miro and Artigas Ceramics, 1974
Joan Miro, Untitled, from Miro and Artigas Ceramics, 1974

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Miro and Artigas Ceramics, 1974

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Sans Titre (Untitled), originates from the 1974 album ceramiques de miro et artigas (Miro and Artigas Ceramics). Published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, and printed by Arte, Adrien Maeght, Paris, this work reflects Miros lyrical fusion of abstraction, gesture, and ceramic-inspired form. In Sans Titre (Untitled), Miro channels the vivid spontaneity and symbolic richness that define his mature graphic language. Executed as a lithograph on velin paper, this work measures 11.024 x 22.28 inches, with stitch perforations and centerfold as issued. Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued. Printed by Arte, Adrien Maeght, Paris, one of the foremost ateliers of the 20th century. Artwork Details: Artist: Joan Miro (1893–1983) Title: Sans Titre (Untitled), from the album ceramiques de miro et artigas (Miro and Artigas Ceramics), 1974 Medium: Lithograph on velin paper Dimensions: 11.024 x 22.28 inches (28 x 56.57 cm), with stitch perforations and centerfold as issued Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued Date: 1974 Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris Printer: Arte, Adrien Maeght, Paris Catalogue raisonne reference: Mourlot, Fernand, and Joan Miro. Catalogue des Lithographies de Miro. Vol. V. Andre Sauret, 1984, illustrations 926–927. Cramer, Patrick. Joan Miro: The Illustrated Books: Catalogue Raisonne. Patrick Cramer, 1989, illustration 183. Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the 1974 album ceramiques de miro et artigas (Miro and Artigas Ceramics), published by Maeght Editeur, Paris; printed by Arte, Adrien Maeght, Paris Notes: Excerpted from the album (translated from French), The original lithographs were drawn in the ateliers Arte, Adrien Maeght, Paris. Completed printing on April 30, 1974. About the Publication: Ceramiques de miro et artigas (Miro and Artigas Ceramics) is a landmark 1974 album published by Maeght Editeur that documents and celebrates the long, fertile collaboration between Joan Miro and the master ceramicist Josep Llorens Artigas. The album serves as both an artistic tribute and an archival record of their shared exploration into the expressive possibilities of fire, clay, pigment, and surface. Maeght Editeur—renowned for its exceptional production standards and its close relationships with leading modern artists—commissioned original lithographs specifically for the album, each reflecting the tactile, gestural, and symbolic vocabulary that Miro developed through decades of experimentation in ceramics. Printed by Arte, Adrien Maeght in Paris, the production exemplifies the publisher’s commitment to uniting fine art printing with rigorous documentation. The album honors one of the most important artist–artisan partnerships of the 20th century, capturing the profound synergy between Miro’s visionary abstraction and Artigas’s mastery of traditional and experimental ceramic processes. As with all major Maeght publications, the album was conceived not merely as a catalogue but as a complete work of art, synthesizing text, image, and craftsmanship into an enduring contribution to the history of modernist printmaking and book arts. About the Artist: Joan Miro (1893–1983) was a Catalan painter, sculptor, printmaker, and ceramicist whose visionary imagination and lyrical abstraction made him one of the most influential and beloved artists of the 20th century. Born in Barcelona, Miro drew inspiration from Catalan folk art, Romanesque frescoes, and the luminous landscapes of Mont-roig del Camp, developing a deep connection to nature that infused his work with vitality and symbolism. After formal training at the Escola dArt in Barcelona, he absorbed the lessons of Post-Impressionism and Cubism before moving to Paris in the early 1920s, where he became a leading figure in the Surrealist movement. There, Miro forged a personal visual language of biomorphic shapes, floating symbols, and radiant color harmonies that reflected both spontaneity and spiritual depth. In creative dialogue with peers such as Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, he helped revolutionize modern art by dissolving the boundaries between abstraction and dream imagery. Miros inventive approach extended far beyond painting, embracing sculpture, ceramics, and monumental public commissions that redefined how art could interact with space and emotion. His expressive freedom and gestural abstraction profoundly influenced later artists including Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Alexander Calder, Jean Dubuffet, Antoni Tapies, and Joan Mitchell, inspiring generations who sought to merge instinct, color, and imagination. Today, Miros work remains a cornerstone of modernism, prized by collectors and celebrated in major museums worldwide. His highest auction record was achieved by Peinture (Etoile Bleue) (1927), which sold for 23561250 GBP (approximately 37 million USD) at Sothebys, London, on June 19, 2012. Joan Miro Sans Titre 1974, Miro ceramiques...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

DALI Saint Andrew from The Twelve Apostles suite (signed & numbered edition)
DALI Saint Andrew from The Twelve Apostles suite (signed & numbered edition)

DALI Saint Andrew from The Twelve Apostles suite (signed & numbered edition)

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA

Lithograph on Arches paper with embossing and gold foil by the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali. From the 1977 Twelve Apostles Suite (sometimes referred to as the Knights of the Roundtable Suite). Signed and numbered in pencil. (54/350) This image is sometimes referred to as "Visions of Camelot." Edition Size: 350. Paper Size: 22.5 x 18.8 in. Referenced in; The Official Catalog of the Graphic works of Salvador Dali" by Albert Field as 72-14 C. Published by S. Wajntraub, P. Moore, A. Lancel and J. Carpentier, Paris. Framed Provenance: Martin Lawrence Gallery...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Gold Leaf

Mascara, Surrealist Etching by Rufino Tamayo
Mascara, Surrealist Etching by Rufino Tamayo

Mascara, Surrealist Etching by Rufino Tamayo

By Rufino Tamayo

Located in Long Island City, NY

Rufino Tamayo, Mexican (1899 - 1991) - Mascara, Year: 1984, Medium: Etching, signed and numbered in pencil, Edition: 60/99, Size: 30 x 22 in. (76.2 x 55.88 cm), Publisher: Edici...

Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Le Miroir Magique Print, Surrealist, Signed, Circa 1927, Framed
Le Miroir Magique Print, Surrealist, Signed, Circa 1927, Framed

Le Miroir Magique Print, Surrealist, Signed, Circa 1927, Framed

Located in CANNES, FR

Jean HUGO ( 1894 - 1984 ) " Le miroir Magique " . PARIS .Jeanne Buchet .1927. Musée FABRE . Montpellier . portefeuille de 20 lithographies coloriées sur pochoir par Jean saudé d'apré...

Category

1920s Surrealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper

Leonor Fini, Untitled, from The Flowers of Evil, 1964
Leonor Fini, Untitled, from The Flowers of Evil, 1964

Leonor Fini, Untitled, from The Flowers of Evil, 1964

By Leonor Fini

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Leonor Fini (1907–1996), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil), originates from the 1964 issue published by Le Cercl...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Old Faust
Old Faust

Old Faust

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in OPOLE, PL

Salvador Dali (1904-1989) - Old Faust Etching from 1969. The edition 18/145. Dimensions of work: 38 x 28 cm. Hand signed. Publisher: Graphik Europa Anstalt. Reference: R. Michl...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Vintage Signed Ethereal Modernist Forest Landscape Framed American Oil Painting
Vintage Signed Ethereal Modernist Forest Landscape Framed American Oil Painting

Vintage Signed Ethereal Modernist Forest Landscape Framed American Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage American modernist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed verso. Framed. Measuring: 24 by 30 inches overall, and 22 by 28 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to hang an...

Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Grand View, Huge Original Painting on Canvas, Hand Signed, Surrealism, 50x70 in.
Grand View, Huge Original Painting on Canvas, Hand Signed, Surrealism, 50x70 in.

Grand View, Huge Original Painting on Canvas, Hand Signed, Surrealism, 50x70 in.

By Ferjo, Fernando de Jesus Oliveira

Located in Aventura, FL

Original oil painting on canvas. Hand signed lower front by Ferjo. Canvas image size 50 x 70 inches. Canvas is not stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of au...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pearl with a Girl's Earring, Original Painting
Pearl with a Girl's Earring, Original Painting

Pearl with a Girl's Earring, Original Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Edward McHugh riffs on a classic portrait, reimagining the familiar reference in his own surreal visual language. The figure appears pale with deep red l...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Telling the Bees, Original Painting
Telling the Bees, Original Painting

Telling the Bees, Original Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A gigantic horned goat looms over a surreal medieval landscape, its face framed by a wide yellow band cutting across the dark sky. Bats, winged insects, and UFO...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

The Mountain
The Mountain

The Mountain

Located in Palm Springs, CA

Mezzotint print. Edition of 18, signed, titled and numbered by the artist. Caulfield has exhibited his prints, drawings, installations and artist’s books extensively throughout Cana...

Category

Early 2000s Surrealist Art

Materials

Mezzotint

La bauge du sanglier (The Wild Boar’s Lair)
La bauge du sanglier (The Wild Boar’s Lair)

La bauge du sanglier (The Wild Boar’s Lair)

By Joan Miró

Located in OPOLE, PL

Joan Miro (1893-1983) - La bauge du sanglier (The Wild Boar’s Lair) Lithograph from 1967. The edition of 99/100 on Arches paper with full margins. Dimensions of sheet: 31.1 x 23.2...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

original lithograph

original lithograph

By Jorge Camacho

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original lithograph. Printed in 1979 and published in Barcelona by La Poligrafa in an edition of 1000. Size: 10 x 7 1/2 inches (255 x 188 mm). Not signed.

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Lure - Critical Masses
Lure - Critical Masses

Lure - Critical Masses

By Marie Cameron

Located in Burlingame, CA

Artist's statement: In my series Critical Masses, I explore the relationship between our species and various small marine creatures to illustrate in symbolic form various narrative...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Surrealist Flying Fantasy Figure, Cleveland Woman Artist
Surrealist Flying Fantasy Figure, Cleveland Woman Artist

Surrealist Flying Fantasy Figure, Cleveland Woman Artist

By Mary Spain

Located in Beachwood, OH

Mary Spain (American, 1934–1983) Flying Figure, 1970s Oil on canvas Signed lower right 17.5. x 21.5. inches 22 x 26 inches, framed Set in a realm of fantasy, Mary Spain’s work exhib...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Salvador Dalí(1904–1989) - Etching and lithograph with embossing on paper - 1974
Salvador Dalí(1904–1989) - Etching and lithograph with embossing on paper - 1974

Salvador Dalí(1904–1989) - Etching and lithograph with embossing on paper - 1974

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Varese, IT

L’unicorne laser désintégre les cornes de rhinoceros cosmique (from ‘La Conquête du Cosmos’) Colour etching and lithograph with embossing on paper from ‘La Conquête du Cosmos’, edit...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Etching, Lithograph

Carlos Alpizar "Mujer Enamor" Original Surreal Oil Painting C.2000
Carlos Alpizar "Mujer Enamor" Original Surreal Oil Painting C.2000

Carlos Alpizar "Mujer Enamor" Original Surreal Oil Painting C.2000

Located in San Francisco, CA

Carlos Alpizar "Mujer Enamor" Original Surreal Oil Painting C.2000 Woman in Love Original oil on canvas. Signed lower right. Canvas dimensions 46.5" wide x 38.5" high The frame m...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Art Brut Surrealist figurative abstract Philadelphia Artist
Art Brut Surrealist figurative abstract Philadelphia Artist

Art Brut Surrealist figurative abstract Philadelphia Artist

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Jesse Soifer (1932-2013). Untitled #06, 1969. Ink on paper, sheet measures 12 x 18 inches. Unsigned. Estate stamp on verso sheet with assignation number. Early Life and Recognit...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Ink

Magritte Portfolio IV 20 lithographs- 20th Century, Surrealist, Figurative Print
Magritte Portfolio IV 20 lithographs- 20th Century, Surrealist, Figurative Print

Magritte Portfolio IV 20 lithographs- 20th Century, Surrealist, Figurative Print

By (after) René Magritte

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 stamp...

Category

20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Art Brut figurative abstract Philadelphia Artist
Art Brut figurative abstract Philadelphia Artist

Art Brut figurative abstract Philadelphia Artist

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Jesse Soifer (1932-2013). Untitled #07, 1964. Ink on paper, sheet measures 12 x 14 inches. Dated and signed with artist monogram. Estate stamp on verso sheet with assignation numb...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Ink

Self-Posession
Self-Posession

Self-Posession

By Marcel Dzama

Located in Toronto, Ontario

With his unmistakable version of contemporary Surrealism, as comical as it is otherworldly, Marcel Dzama is one of Canada's most internationally successful artists. Born in Winnipeg...

Category

1990s Surrealist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Joan Miró “L’Oiseau du Forgeron” 1963 Signed Etching and Aquatint with Debossing
Joan Miró “L’Oiseau du Forgeron” 1963 Signed Etching and Aquatint with Debossing

Joan Miró “L’Oiseau du Forgeron” 1963 Signed Etching and Aquatint with Debossing

By Joan Miró

Located in Miami, FL

JOAN MIRÓ (1893–1983) – “L’OISEAU DU FORGERON” Etching and Aquatint in Colors with Debossing on Arches Paper ⚜ Hand Signed and Numbered ⚜ Custom Conservation Frame A POETIC DIALOGUE BETWEEN INDUSTRIAL MATTER AND THE LIFE OF THE BIRD “L’Oiseau du Forgeron”, or “The Blacksmith’s Bird,” is a 1963 etching and aquatint with debossing by Joan Miró, hand signed in pencil lower right and numbered 48 from the limited edition of 75. The work belongs to Miró’s celebrated Forgeron series, in which the artist used aggressive plate biting and physical debossing of the paper to summon the world of the blacksmith’s forge directly onto the printed sheet. Printed in colors on heavy Arches wove paper with the watermark present, the impression was published by Maeght Éditeur, Paris, the central printmaking publisher of Miró’s mature career, and is documented in Jacques Dupin’s Miró Engraver, Vol. II: 1961–1973 (Daniel Lelong Éditeur, Paris, 1989) as plate 363. The composition is built around a bold visual pairing. At its center sits a heavy gray geometric form, rendered through the combined effect of etching, aquatint, and debossing, the latter pressing the contours of the deeply etched plate physically into the paper to create a tactile, sculptural relief that mimics forged industrial iron. The form is perforated with a constellation of small circles that read as rivet holes and is edged with the irregular notches of a blacksmith’s tool...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching, Aquatint, Intaglio

Crying Mask with Unicorn, Variant #1
Crying Mask with Unicorn, Variant #1

Crying Mask with Unicorn, Variant #1

By Michael Bowen

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Crying Mask with Unicorn" c.1975 is an original color etching with aquatint on wove paper by American surrealist artist Michael Bowen, 1937-2009. It is hand signed in pencil by the artist. The plate mark (image) size is 21.85 x 17.5 inches, sheet size is 30 x 20.75 inches. It is in excellent condition, has never been framed. About the subject: Nowhere is the intertwining of metaphysical, biographic and social narratives more evident than in the Café Life series painted in the 1980’s. Though the “series” was done in the 80’s, the pieces really revive the spirit of the Beat café scene, which began in the mid-1950’s and which was so instrumental to the particular spiritual and social vibe of the counter culture. And his Café Life observations continue over his artist life with scenes, such as the ones here, from Los Angles, Bolinas, Mexico and Italy. About the artist: Michael Bowen (December 8, 1937 – March 7, 2009) was an American fine artist known as one of the co-founders of the late 20th and 21st century Visionary art movements. His works include paintings on canvas and paper, 92 intaglio etchings based on Jungian psychology, assemblage, bronze sculpture, collage, and handmade art books. An icon of the American Beat Generation and the 1960s counterculture, Bowen is also known for his role in inspiring and organizing the first Human Be-In in San Francisco. Chronicled in books and periodicals reflecting on the turbulent 1960s, Bowen's historical impact on both the literary and visual art worlds is well documented. He remains influential among avant-garde art circles around the world. He started his art career at age 17, when he joined the American installation artist Ed Kienholz in his Los Angeles studio. There he met and joined with other influential Beat Generation artists including Wallace Berman, John Altoon, and Dennis Hopper. Bowen participated in the construction of the Ferus Gallery and Now Gallery created by Ed Kienholz and curated by Walter Hopps. Bowen attended the Chouinard Art Institute for several years during his formative artistic experiences in Los Angeles. In the late 50s and early 60s, Bowen continued his spiritual training and research. He investigated and practiced a variety of occult topics, Eastern philosophies, and mysticism, and his artwork reflected these themes. Bowen is often referred to as a mystic artist. As a lifelong student of the Bhagavad-Gita, Bowen's entire career has emulated the spiritual warrior archetype of Arjuna, fighting for the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. Michael Bowen moved to San Francisco in the late 1950s, and along with fellow artist comrades Arthur Monroe...

Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching, Aquatint

Chapeau fort
Chapeau fort

Chapeau fort

By Pierre Alechinsky

Located in OPOLE, PL

Pierre Alechinsky (1927) - Chapeau fort Etching with lithograph from 1976. The edition of 3/90. Dimensions of work: 63.5 x 91 cm. Hand signed. Another example of this etching wi...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching, Lithograph

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.