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.
$1,529
Le Meunier, son fils et l'Ane (The Miller... - Etching by Marc Chagall - 1952
By Marc Chagall
Located in Roma, IT
Etching on Montval paper, realized between 1927 and 1930. Table from "Les Fables de La Fontaine", published in 1952 in and edition of 200. Signed in the plate. Very good condition...
Etching
Virgo
Located in OPOLE, PL
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) - Virgo Etching from 1974. The edition HC IX/L on Guarro paper. Dimensions of work: 35 x 26.2 cm. Hand signed. Publisher: Léon Amiel, Paris - New York....
Etching
Le Cerf et la Vigne - Etching by Marc Chagall - 1952
By Marc Chagall
Located in Roma, IT
Etching on Montval paper, realized between 1927 and 1930. Table from "Les Fables de La Fontaine", published in 1952 in and edition of 200. Signed in the plate. Very good condition...
Etching
Saul and David Etching, Surrealist, Circa 1956, Unframed, 275 Edition
By Marc Chagall
Located in Roma, IT
Etching on Montval wove paper, realized by Marc Chagall in 1931-39 and published by Tériade in 1956. Edition of 275+30 out of commerce copies. Not signed nor numbered, as issued. ...
Etching
Enigma : Liberty - Original handsigned lithograph
Located in Paris, IDF
Franvis de SAINT GENIES (1925-) Enigma : Liberty Original lithograph Handsigned in pencil Limited /250copies On vellum 56 x 76 cm (c. 22 x 30 in) Excellent condition
Lithograph
Giorgio de Chirico-Horses on the Shore-1965 First Edition NY Graphic Society
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Published by New York Graphic Society, circa 1960. Plate signed. This elegant composition by Giorgio de Chirico features two majestic horses standing along a quiet shoreline, render...
Screen
La Niña
Located in Burlingame, CA
Marie Cameron is a realist painter and mixed media assemblage artist whose work explores hope, awe, and loss in the age of the Anthropocene. Her paintings often consider the fragile ...
Canvas, Oil
Racing Horses - Etching by Pietro Ventura - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Offset print on paper realized by Sisal-Totip in 1970s. Very good condition except for some foxing.
Etching
Christopher Columbus, Signed Surrealist Lithograph by Salvador Dali
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Salvador Dali, Spanish (1904 - 1989) Title: Christopher Columbus from "Dali Discovers America" Portfolio Year: 1979 Medium: Lithograph on Arches, signed and numbered in penci...
Lithograph
$4,000
"The Lonely Crowd", Surrealist, Portrait, Mixed Media, Collage, Acrylic Painting
By John Baker
Located in Franklin, MA
John Baker’s “The Lonely Crowd” is a multi-colored acrylic painting on canvas with collage 40 x 60 inches. Blues, yellows and greens predominate while reds provide color accents. The...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Walrus Oil Painting, 20th Century Magical Realism Artist, Cleveland School
By Paul Riba
Located in Beachwood, OH
Paul Riba (American, 1912-1977) Walrus Oil on paper Signed lower right 29.25 x 24.5 inches 34.75 x 30 inches, framed Paul Riba was a painter of Magic Realism. He explored the unrea...
Oil
$4,850
"Pyramid Schema" Abstract Surrealist Composition in Oil on Masonite Panel
Located in Soquel, CA
"Pyramid Schema" Abstract Surrealist Composition in Oil on Masonite Panel Abstract surrealist composition by California artist Devon Brockopp-Hammer (American, b. 1986). A large whi...
Masonite, Oil
BIG HORN Signed Lithograph, Surrealist Landscape, 1992, 6x7 in.
Located in Union City, NJ
BIG HORN is a hand drawn limited edition lithograph by the American surrealist artist Fanny Brennan, created using traditional hand lithography techniques printed on archival Arches ...
Lithograph
$1,900
1980 Mid Century Modern Swedish Mini Still Life Tempera Painting - Lemon & Pears
Located in Bristol, GB
LEMON & PEARS Size: 34 x 39 cm (including frame) Tempera on board A brilliantly executed and characterful surrealist still life composition, executed in tempera on board and dated 1...
Tempera, Board
Untitled Etching, Surrealist Style, Signed, Edition of 135, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Untitled is an artwork realized by Johnny Friedlander in 1970s. Etching on wove paper. Signed and numbered. Edition of 135 copies.
Etching
Blue Blood - Critical Masses
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 narratives...
Canvas, Oil
Amsterdam (Surrealist Black Philadelphia Artist)
By Roland Ayers
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Surrealist proto-Afropunk drawing by African-American artist, Roland Ayers (1932-2014). Amsterdam, 1967. Ink on paper, 9.5 × 12.5 inches; 16 × 19 inches framed. Signed and dated,...
Ink, Paper
$517Sale Price|20% Off
Letters, limited edition, Surreal, Established Polish artist
Located in Warsaw, PL
Size of sheet is ca. 29.5 x 21 cm (A4) Contemporary figurative giclee print by Polish artist Rafal Olbinski. Print is signed, numbered and has a stamp of an artist's atelier. It com...
Paper, Color
Self-Portrait Sundial
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Self-Portrait Sundial MEDIUM: Lithograph SIGNED: Hand Signed EDITION NUMBER: 103/150 MEASUREMENTS: 22.25" x 18" YEAR: 1966 CONDITION: Excellent ...
Lithograph
In a Playful Labyrinth With Nature - Whimsical Figurative Artwork on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian painter Silvia Pavarini is known for her distinctly feminine artworks that resonate with the quiet whispers of nature. Each piece she creates embodies an ongoing dialogue wit...
Paper, Acrylic, Pencil
L'Ane et le Chien (The Ass and the Dog) - Etching by Marc Chagall - 1952
By Marc Chagall
Located in Roma, IT
Etching on Montval paper, hand colored, realized between 1927 and 1930. Table from "Les Fables de La Fontaine", published in 1952 by Tériade in and edition of 200. Hand signed in p...
Etching
Rain Forest
By Ferjo, Fernando de Jesus Oliveira
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "Rainforest" c.1990, is an oil painting on canvas by noted surrealist Brazilian artist Fernando De Jesus Oliveira A.K.A. Ferjo, b.1946. It is signed at the lower right c...
Oil
New York City Skyline Supertalls in the Most Eye Dazzling Dramatic Sunset
Located in Miami, FL
There have been many color photographs of the New York skyline, but this masterfully lit and high-impact image by Mitchell Funk dazzles the eye and engages the mind more than any on...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Funny and Sad Faces, Surrealist Geometric Colorful Drawing, France 1960
Located in Atlanta, GA
This exceptional original project drawing, painted with colored pencil on translucent tracing paper, is by a French artist, circa the 1960s. The original painting features a geometri...
Paper, Color Pencil
$12,500
Music Fantasy Folk Guitar with Two Moons and Steam Locomotive in Red Background
Located in Miami, FL
Famed Illustrator Isadore Seltzer paints a fantasy folk guitar in a surreal setting. The viewer looks down at the guitar as it rests in bold red space where foreground and sky blend ...
Wood, Oil
Original AIRS DE CHANCE Loterie Nationale original French lottery poster
Located in Spokane, WA
Original AIRS DE CHANCE Loterie Nationale French vintage poster. Translated, it means, "In the moonlight, my friend Pierrot, lend me your money to win the jackpot." Linen-backed original French lottery...
Lithograph
(after) Julio Gonzalez - "Tete aux cheveux defaits" pochoir
By Julio González 1
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: pochoir (after the watercolor). Printed in Paris in 1957 by Jacomet and published by the Galerie Berggruen for a rare catalogue. Image size: 5 1/2 x 4 inches (142 x 98 mm). S...
Lithograph, Stencil
$1,800
Quiet Strength -21st Century Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Bold Africa Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
In a world where voices are loud and expectations scream, she is a gentle breeze on a summer day. Her Afro hair, a crown of resilience, tells stories of ancestors and traditions. As ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Oblivion
Located in Burlingame, CA
Marie Cameron is a realist painter and mixed media assemblage artist whose work explores hope, awe, and loss in the age of the Anthropocene. Her paintings often consider the fragile ...
Canvas, Mixed Media
Secret Lover
Located in Burlingame, CA
Marie Cameron is a realist painter and mixed media assemblage artist whose work explores hope, awe, and loss in the age of the Anthropocene. Her paintings often consider the fragile ...
Canvas, Mixed Media
$6,500
Flatiron Building New York's First Skyscraper in Heroic Depiction, Architecture
Located in Miami, FL
The Flatiron is New York's Architectural masterpiece and is depicted in this dramatic photograph as a towering presence as it's rendered in hard light against a surreal sky. Signed ...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
$2,800Sale Price|20% Off
Yo No Vendra - figurative painting, landscape painting
Located in New York, NY
This beautiful surrealist painting by Mauricio comes rolled in a tube and needs to be stretched when received. In his pieces, Mauricio combines his figurative expertise along with su...
Canvas, Oil
Deja Vu. Removing, Oil Painting
By Guigen Zha
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The painting shows a woman gently removing her veil, her calm presence emphasized by a subtle balance of cool blues and warm tones. Artist Guigen Zha’s delibe...
Oil
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...
Lithograph
French Surrealist Colorful Futurist Abstract Painting Composition V
Located in Surfside, FL
actual image measures 11.25x7.5, titled Composition V on French Arches Mould made paper. Georges DUSSAU est né le 14 Mars 1947, à Chalon-sur-Saône (France) Il vit et travaille à Me...
Acrylic, Gouache, Handmade Paper
Wasting Stars - Critical Masses
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 narratives...
Canvas, Oil
$2,141
Surrealist interior with leaning sculpture, similar to Georgio de Chirico
Located in Norwich, GB
Although I have no proof whatsoever, I like to think that this remarkable picture might have been painted by a young Georgio de Chirico shortly after his arrival in France in 1911. I...
Oil, Cardboard
Par La Bait Naitre, Surrealist Etching by Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002) - Par La Bait Naitre, Year: 1946, Medium: Etching on Hollande Van Gelder, Edition: 58, Image Size: 5.25 x 3.75 inches, Size: 7.25 x 6 in. (18.4...
Etching
Geometric Color Variation Surrealist Drawings, France 1960s
Located in Atlanta, GA
These exceptional original project drawings, painted with colored pencil on translucent tracing paper, are by a French artist, circa the 1960s. The two paintings feature a geometric ...
Paper
A Journey to the Center
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work explores a return to the inner center—a space where external noise subsides and a sense of wholeness emerges. The organic forms evoke at once a landscape, the body, and mem...
Canvas, Acrylic
New York Skyline: Chrysler Building, Surrealist Print, Signed 3/15
Located in Miami, FL
The New New York Skyline with Chrysler Building is depicted in shimmering sliver light and set against a deep cobalt blue sky. It incorporates the newly constructed supertalls: One...
Archival Pigment, Archival Paper, Archival Ink
Flowers and Fruit - Original Vibrant Still Life Flowers and Fruit Bowl Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Maria C. Bernhardsson is a colorful artist who lives and paints in Sweden. Most of her works are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Bernhardsson travels the world...
Paper, Mixed Media
Mean Mouse
Located in Hollywood, FL
Artist: Ralph Steadman Title: Mean Mouse Medium: One color silkscreen on White Rising Stonehenge Deckle Edge Paper Size: 15 x 22 Inches Edition: of 180 Year: 2001 Notes: Hand Signed...
Silk, Screen
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
Oil
The Dreambird's Voyage, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A symbolic bird moves through a surreal, vibrant landscape of dreams. Rich, luminous colors fill the scene, evoking a sense of limitless imagination and emotion...
Acrylic
Magic Realism Figurative Artwork, "Lost in Woods" by Evgeniya Golik
Located in San Diego, CA
A 16” x 20” x 1.25" Magic Realism Figurative Artwork by artist Evgeniya Golik. The artist uses Acrylic on Canvas. A certificate of authenticity will accompany the piece upon its purc...
Canvas, Acrylic
Surrealist Pink Composition Lithograph, 1974, Unframed, Excellent
By Max Ernst
Located in Roma, IT
Color lithograph realized by Max Ernst in 1974. Not signed. as issued. Printed by Atelier Pierre Chave in Vence, France. Excellent condition. This lithograph was realized by th...
Lithograph
Billionaires Row from Central Park Reservoir with Magical Light
Located in Miami, FL
Photographer Mitchell Funk revisits many popular tourist locations and shoots them in a way that perhaps millions of tourists never imagined. In "Billionaires Row from Central Park Reservoir...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
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...
Canvas, Oil
$2,280Sale Price|20% Off
Blooming in Silence - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Woman, African
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
She carries the weight of unspoken thoughts with quiet grace, yet within her, life continues to bloom. Hidden beneath stillness is a spirit full of resilience, beauty, and becoming. ...
Fabric, Canvas
$517Sale Price|20% Off
Pierrot, limited edition, Surreal, Established Polish artist
Located in Warsaw, PL
Size of sheet is ca. 29.5 x 21 cm (A4) Contemporary figurative giclee print by Polish artist Rafal Olbinski. Print is signed, numbered and has a stamp of an artist's atelier. It com...
Paper, Color
Jazz Trio (Black Philadelphia artist)
By Roland Ayers
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Roland Ayers (1932-2014). The Split Second After, ca. 1959 Lithograph on paper, image measuring 14 × 18 inches. Sheet measuring 18 × 23 inches. Unframed. Minor staining of sheet...
Paper, Ink
"Hybrid Moth" (2025), Abstracted Animal Portrait, Acrylic Painting on Wood
Located in Denver, CO
Enjoy a feast for the mind as you explore the oddity, mystery and beauty of the Hybrid Butterfly! This series started off with my desire to do small butterfly studies. During my rese...
Wood, Acrylic, Panel
Gold Earrings - Large Colorful Surrealist Figurative Feminine Portrait Painting
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...
Canvas, Watercolor, Acrylic
French Surrealist Trompe L'oeil Apples OIl Painting
By Lucien Mathelin
Located in Surfside, FL
size uncludes frame. Lucien Mathelin, born in 1905 in Binche, A province of Hainaut, in Wallonia, Belgium, and died in 1981 in Paris. French painter. His work was influenced by surre...
Canvas, Oil
Line of Silence
Located in Zofingen, AG
Line of Silence (series “1000 and 1 Night”) In this work, a phase of falling in love shifts into a state of inner resistance. The space is deeply intimate and enclosed: the figure ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Le Roi Peste (The Plague Kings) - Etching by James Ensor - 1895
By James Ensor
Located in Roma, IT
The Plague Kings is an original etching on the Japanese paper, realized by James Ensor in 1895, signed on the plate and dated, unique state, with the second signature on the reverse ...
Etching
$1,400
"The Circus" Black & White Photography 24" x 24" in Ed. 2/15 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"The Circus" Black & White Photography 24" x 24" in Ed. 2/15 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Comes with COA issued by th...
Photographic Paper
Divine Comedy : The punishment of hypocrites - Etching - 150ex
Located in Paris, IDF
Salvador Dali The punishment of hypocrites (1960) Heliogravure reworked with drypoint Printed signature in the plate On BFK Rives Vellum paper Size 32.8 x 26.4 cm (c. 13 x 10") Ref...
Etching
Ten Recipes of Immortality : Holography of the Squirrel - Signed etching
Located in Paris, IDF
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) Man resuscitated by the holography of the squirrel, 1973 Original engraving Signed in pencil and numbered Edition limited to 50 copies On Japane paper 57 x...
Etching, Aquatint