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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
Becoming Aware of One's Own Shadow
Becoming Aware of One's Own Shadow

Becoming Aware of One's Own Shadow

Located in Zofingen, AG

A work about observing one’s own transformation. About the moment when hidden parts of the personality emerge from the darkness and become visible. The mythical bird is the process i...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Leonor Fini, Untitled, from Shakespeare, The Tempest, 1965
Leonor Fini, Untitled, from Shakespeare, The Tempest, 1965

Leonor Fini, Untitled, from Shakespeare, The Tempest, 1965

By Leonor Fini

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Leonor Fini (1907–1996), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from Shakespeare, La Tempete (Shakespeare, The Tempest), originates from the 1965 issue published ...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Cheetah, Original Painting
Cheetah, Original Painting

Cheetah, Original Painting

By Heejin Sutton

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A cheetah walks along the edge of a sloping green geometric plane. A yellow-green background frames the figure, drawing attention to its spotted coat. At the si...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Mixed Media

Fox, Leaf, Original Painting
Fox, Leaf, Original Painting

Fox, Leaf, Original Painting

By Heejin Sutton

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A fox sits atop a bright red geometric plane. Below, a leaf-like pattern fills a blue triangle. Together, the shapes suggest a towering peak. Artist Heejin Sutt...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Mixed Media

Pear, Flower Petal, Original Painting
Pear, Flower Petal, Original Painting

Pear, Flower Petal, Original Painting

By Heejin Sutton

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A small pear rests on the edge of a blue geometric plane. Below, a sweeping pattern resembling a flower petal fills the orange surface. A black, narrow shape fr...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Mixed Media

Blue-Footed Booby, Original Painting
Blue-Footed Booby, Original Painting

Blue-Footed Booby, Original Painting

By Heejin Sutton

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A blue-footed booby walks across a soft orange slope. Above, a green semi-circle topped with a cluster of bananas floats against a pink background. Artist Heeji...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Mixed Media

10 of Cups, Oil Painting
10 of Cups, Oil Painting

10 of Cups, Oil Painting

By Rachel Srinivasan

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Ten chalices anchor the center of the composition, while a white bison stands beneath them. Patterns and symbolic imagery radiate outward, creating an intricate...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Seven of Cups, Oil Painting
Seven of Cups, Oil Painting

Seven of Cups, Oil Painting

By Rachel Srinivasan

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Three large chalices converge to form a triangular structure at the center of the composition, while four smaller chalices create an arch above them. Intricate ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Eight of Cups, Oil Painting
Eight of Cups, Oil Painting

Eight of Cups, Oil Painting

By Rachel Srinivasan

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Eight blue chalices line the composition in two vertical columns, creating a strong sense of symmetry and repetition. Blue, red, and white bands radiate from th...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

"Femmes et Oiseaux devant la Lune" original pochoir

"Femmes et Oiseaux devant la Lune" original pochoir

By Joan Miró

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original pochoir stencil print in five colors. Catalogue reference: Dupin 50. Printed in 1947 in an edition of 1500 by Meriden Gravure and published by Curt Valentin for the ...

Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph, Stencil

Nachtgespenst / Night ghost

Nachtgespenst / Night ghost

By Franz Rogler

Located in Wien, 9

Franz Rogler (1921 -1994) studied wood and stone sculpture with Wilhelm Gösser at the Graz School of Applied Arts and attended the master class for painting with Rudolf Szyszkowitz. During his studies he was drafted for military service and, together with fellow artist Hans Fronius, was deployed as a war painter in Austria, Germany, Italy, the former Yugoslavia, Greece and Russia. During this time he completed studies at the Academy in Zagreb and organised exhibitions in Austria. In 1944 he deserted and managed to escape to Switzerland, where he settled in Basel after his internment and came into contact with the Swiss Surrealists of "Group 33" and with the artists Hans Arp, Max Ernst and Meret Oppenheim through his friend Regula Weilenmann. After the end of the war, he studied at the Basel Art School with Walter Bodmer and Heinrich Müller, which introduced him to Constructivist art. In 1947 Rogler returned to Graz and became a member of the Graz Secession. From 1948 to 1950 he studied at the Vienna Academy with Albert Paris Gütersloh, before returning to Graz as a freelance artist in 1950. In 1953 he received the Art Prize of the City of Graz and his works were published in the first issue of the "Surrealist Publications" edited by Edgar Jené and Paul Celan...

Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Surreal Instruments in Space
Surreal Instruments in Space

Surreal Instruments in Space

Located in Columbia, MO

Richard Koppe (American, 1916 - 1973) studied at the St. Paul School of Art and the New Bauhaus in Chicago, where he was mentored by Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Gyorgy Kepes, and Alexander A...

Category

20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Gouache, Panel

Femme à l'écharpe rouge Ceramic Plate, Surrealist, Signed, 1958
Femme à l'écharpe rouge Ceramic Plate, Surrealist, Signed, 1958

Femme à l'écharpe rouge Ceramic Plate, Surrealist, Signed, 1958

By Jean Cocteau

Located in CANNES, FR

Jean Cocteau ( 1889-1963 ) " Femme à l'écharpe rouge " Exemplaire d'Auteur . hand signed Jean Cocteau . Partially glazed white earthenware plate with engobe conceived in 1958 In an ...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Ceramic

Found It, Original Signed Contemporary Satirical Surrealist Painting on Panel
Found It, Original Signed Contemporary Satirical Surrealist Painting on Panel

Found It, Original Signed Contemporary Satirical Surrealist Painting on Panel

By Megan Frazer

Located in Boston, MA

Found It, Original Signed Contemporary Satirical Surrealist Painting, 2014 18" x 11" x 1.625" Gouache on Wood Panel Hand-signed by the artist. When socks go missing, this disarticulated human arm can find them! In this dream-like surrealistic painting by artist Megan Frazer a laundry basket full of blue, red, and yellow clothing...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Gouache, Wood Panel

Musicians Floating Amongst a City Landscape Scene
Musicians Floating Amongst a City Landscape Scene

Musicians Floating Amongst a City Landscape Scene

Located in Astoria, NY

David Newman (American, b. 1956) Musicians Floating Amongst a City Landscape Scene, Oil on Canvas, wood frame. Image: 70" H x 80.5" W; frame: 71.25" H x 81" W x 1.75" D. Provenance: ...

Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Army Of Caine Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition
Army Of Caine Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition

Army Of Caine Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition

By BATIK

Located in London, GB

Army Of Caine by B A T I K Pop art work featuring multiples of Michael Caine in Get Carter mode - possibly his most iconic movie role. Archival pigment pop art print signed & ...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

Jean Cocteau Mixed Media Collage on Archival Paper, Signed, 10/13
Jean Cocteau Mixed Media Collage on Archival Paper, Signed, 10/13

Jean Cocteau Mixed Media Collage on Archival Paper, Signed, 10/13

Located in CANNES, FR

13BIS . Novembre 2022 collage et impression numérique jet d'encre pigmentaire sur papier coton 310g . numéroté 10/13. et signé au dos par 13bis . 13bis , street artiste collagiste ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper

Surrealist Landscape - Original Oil on Canvas, Handsigned
Surrealist Landscape - Original Oil on Canvas, Handsigned

Surrealist Landscape - Original Oil on Canvas, Handsigned

By Marc Janson

Located in Paris, IDF

Marc Janson Surrealist Landscape Oil on convas Handsigned bottom right Signed again on the back On canvas 46 x 55 c m (c. 18 x 22 in) Very good condition, light defects at the edge

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

La Princesa
La Princesa

La Princesa

By Sofia Ruiz

Located in Los Angeles, CA

"LA PRINCESA" OIL AND ACRILIC ON CANVAS SIGNED, 2013 EXHIBITED MUSEO DEL BANCO CENTRAL DE COSTA RICA 43.5 x 35.25 INCHES Sofía Ruiz was born in 1982. ...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Joan Miro, Ceramic, from Miro 1959–1960, 1961 (after)
Joan Miro, Ceramic, from Miro 1959–1960, 1961 (after)

Joan Miro, Ceramic, from Miro 1959–1960, 1961 (after)

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Ceramic (Ceramic), from the album Miro 1959–1960 (Miro 1959–1960), originates from the 1961 edition published by Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York, rendered by Daniel Jacomet, Paris, and printed by Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, 1961. Ceramic reflects Miro’s fascination with texture, form, and material, evoking the tactile qualities and rhythmic motifs of his ceramic works through the medium of print. The composition’s interplay of abstract symbols, color, and linear energy captures the dynamic tension between the earthy and the cosmic—a hallmark of Miro’s artistic vocabulary during this period. Executed as a lithograph and pochoir on velin paper, this work measures 23 x 9.24 inches, with centerfold as issued. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, one of France’s foremost studios specializing in pochoir and fine art printmaking. Artwork Details: Artist: After Joan Miro (1893–1983) Title: Ceramic (Ceramic), from the album Miro 1959–1960 (Miro 1959–1960), 1961 Medium: Lithograph and pochoir on velin paper Dimensions: 23 x 9.24 inches (58.4 x 23.5 cm), with centerfold as issued Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1961 Publisher: Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York Renderer: Daniel Jacomet, Paris Printer: Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris Catalogue raisonne references: Cramer, Patrick, and Joan Miro. Joan Miro, Catalogue Raisonne Des Livres Illustres. P. Cramer, 1989, illustration 69. Dupin, Jacques, and Joan Miro. Miro Engraver 1961–1973. Rizzoli, 1989, illustration 292. Miro, Joan. Joan Miro, Lithographe II, 1953–1963. Joan Miro, Lithographe, Maeght, 1975, illustration 286–294. Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the album Miro 1959–1960 (Miro 1959–1960), published by Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York; rendered by Daniel Jacomet, Paris; printed by Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, 1961 Notes: Excerpted from the album (translated from French), It was taken from this album: XXVIII examples with II original lithographs and an etching and VI suites, numbered from I to XXV; LXXX examples with II original lithographs and an etching, numbered from XXVI to LXXV; MCC examples, numbered from I to MCC. This album was made and presented for the exhibition of the artist's works at the Gallery Pierre Matisse, New York, October 31 - November 25, 1961. About the Publication: Miro 1959–1960 (Miro 1959–1960), published in 1961 by Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York, with pochoirs rendered by Daniel Jacomet, Paris, accompanied the landmark exhibition of Miro’s paintings and graphic works held at the Pierre Matisse Gallery from October 31 to November 25, 1961. The album captures the spirit of Miro’s late 1950s and early 1960s output—a period characterized by liberated brushwork, symbolic abstraction, and radiant chromatic experimentation. Printed by Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, in collaboration with Fernand Mourlot for the original lithographs, the volume reflects the exceptional precision and artistry of French printmaking at its height. Designed to evoke the immediacy of Miro’s painted surfaces, the pochoirs and lithographs maintain a tactile richness and vibrancy that honor the original works. This publication stands among Miro’s most celebrated printed albums, marking a pivotal moment in his continued dialogue between materiality, imagination, and cosmic lyricism. 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 d'Art 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. Miro's 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, Miro's 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 23,561,250 GBP (approximately 37 million USD) at Sotheby's, London, on June 19, 2012. After Joan Miro Ceramic...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Bunny I - Original Colorful Floral Figurative Feminine Surrealist Framed Artwork
Bunny I - Original Colorful Floral Figurative Feminine Surrealist Framed Artwork

Bunny I - Original Colorful Floral Figurative Feminine Surrealist Framed Artwork

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 academic setting. This presence exposed Franci...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

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 #05, 1969. Ink on paper, sheet measures 12 x 18 inches. Dated and signed with artist monogram. Estate stamp on verso sheet with assignation numb...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Ink

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 #09, 1963. 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

Joan Miro, Stars and Dancers, from Derriere le miroir, 1956 (after)
Joan Miro, Stars and Dancers, from Derriere le miroir, 1956 (after)

Joan Miro, Stars and Dancers, from Derriere le miroir, 1956 (after)

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite etching after Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Astres et Danseurs (Stars and Dancers), from the folio Derriere le miroir, 10 Ans d'Edition 1946–1956, No. 92–93, originate...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

(after) Wifredo Lam - lithograph

(after) Wifredo Lam - lithograph

By Wifredo Lam

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: lithograph (after the drawing). Printed in 1953 for the art revue Derrière le Miroir (issue number 52) and published in Paris by Maeght. Sheet size: 15 x 22 inches (378 x 560...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Herbes d'été (Summer Grasses)
Herbes d'été (Summer Grasses)

Herbes d'été (Summer Grasses)

By Joan Miró

Located in OPOLE, PL

Joan Miro (1893-1983) - Herbes d'été (Summer Grasses) Lithograph from 1967. The edition of 99/100 on Arches paper with full margins. Dimensions of sheet: 31.1 x 23.2 cm Dimension...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Portrait of Woman, Figurative Surrealism Original oil Painting
Portrait of Woman, Figurative Surrealism Original oil Painting

Portrait of Woman, Figurative Surrealism Original oil Painting

By Ashot Yan

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Figurative Surrealism Original Painting Artist: Ashot Yan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2019 Style: Figurative Surrealism, ...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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.