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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
La Petite Chouette Sculpture, Surrealist Ceramic, Circa 1960-1970
La Petite Chouette Sculpture, Surrealist Ceramic, Circa 1960-1970

La Petite Chouette Sculpture, Surrealist Ceramic, Circa 1960-1970

Located in CANNES, FR

Jules Agard ( 1905 - 1986 ) " la petite chouette " circa 1960 - 1970 " Pièce unique " Sculpture en terre rouge de Salernes montée au tour représentant une petite chouette ( d...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Ceramic

Untitled 3
Untitled 3

Untitled 3

By Roger Chapelain Midy

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist: Roger Chapelain Midy (French, 1904-1992) Title: Untitled 3 Year : Circa 1975 Medium: Color lithograph Edition: Unknown Paper: Silk paper Image size: 18 x 25.25 inche...

Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Ernst, Composition (Spies/Leppien 222), Histoire Naturelle (after)
Ernst, Composition (Spies/Leppien 222), Histoire Naturelle (after)

Ernst, Composition (Spies/Leppien 222), Histoire Naturelle (after)

By Max Ernst

Located in Southampton, NY

Collotype from frottage on vélin paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the album, Max Ernst, Histoire Naturelle, 1972. Published and printed by Verla...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Savage Garden
Savage Garden

Timothy BerrySavage Garden, 1996

$900Sale Price|40% Off

Savage Garden

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Timothy Berry (b.1948). Savage Garden, 1996. Oil on canvas, 34 x 32 inches. Sigh on verso. Original gallery label affixed on verso. Canvas stretched over...

Category

1990s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Sunrise - Original Cool Tone Abstract Urban Still Life Collage Artwork on Paper
Sunrise - Original Cool Tone Abstract Urban Still Life Collage Artwork on Paper

Sunrise - Original Cool Tone Abstract Urban Still Life Collage Artwork on Paper

By Maria C. Bernhardsson

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Femme à l'escargot
Femme à l'escargot

Femme à l'escargot

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in OPOLE, PL

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

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Tristan and Isolde
Tristan and Isolde

Tristan and Isolde

By Leonor Fini

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Tristan and Isolde" 1978 is an original color lithograph on Arches wove paper by noted Italian/Argentinian artist Leonor Fini, 1907-1996. It is hand signed and n...

Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Bide Your Time - 21st Century, Surrealism, Figurative, Women, Africa, Globe
Bide Your Time - 21st Century, Surrealism, Figurative, Women, Africa, Globe

Bide Your Time - 21st Century, Surrealism, Figurative, Women, Africa, Globe

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Bor...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Conquest of Cosmos 1 Suite
Conquest of Cosmos 1 Suite

Conquest of Cosmos 1 Suite

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Hollywood, FL

ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Conquest of Cosmos 1 Suite MEDIUM: 6 color Etchings & Aquatints with embossing SIGNED: Each piece is Hand Signed PUBLISHER: Levine & Levine EDITI...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Miro a l'Encre II, Surrealist Lithograph by Joan Miro
Miro a l'Encre II, Surrealist Lithograph by Joan Miro

Miro a l'Encre II, Surrealist Lithograph by Joan Miro

By Joan Miró

Located in Long Island City, NY

Joan Miro, Spanish (1893 - 1983) - Miro a l'Encre II, Year: 1972, Medium: Lithograph, Image Size: 13.75 x 9.75 inches, Size: 14 x 10 in. (35.56 x 25.4 cm), Frame Size: 21 x 17 inch...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Lithographs II (1043), Modern Lithograph by Joan Miro

Lithographs II (1043), Modern Lithograph 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...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Ruth Gleaner - Lithograph by Marc Chagall - 1960
Ruth Gleaner - Lithograph by Marc Chagall - 1960

Ruth Gleaner - Lithograph by Marc Chagall - 1960

By Marc Chagall

Located in Roma, IT

Color lithograph realized by Marc Chagall in 1960 to illustrate "The Bible".  Edition of 6500, published by Tériade in no. 33 and 34 of the Art Magazine Verve. Printed by Mourlot a...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

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

Joan Miro, Woman with a Mirror, from Derriere le miroir, 1956
Joan Miro, Woman with a Mirror, from Derriere le miroir, 1956

Joan Miro, Woman with a Mirror, from Derriere le miroir, 1956

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled La femme au miroir (Woman with a Mirror), from the folio Derriere le miroir, 10 Ans d'Edition 1946–1956, No. 92–93, origina...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Contact
Contact

Contact

By Airom

Located in Santa Monica, CA

Painting depicts contact, ambiguous as to whether it could be adverse contact or intimate contact between the focal characters.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

India Ink, Oil

Femme Bleue
Femme Bleue

Femme Bleue

By Henri Matisse

Located in OPOLE, PL

Henri Matisse (1869-1954) - Femme Bleue Lithograph from 1958. Dimensions of work: 35.5 x 26 cm. Publisher: Tériade, Paris. First, original edition. The work is in Excellent cond...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

La Fée (The Fairy) - Etching - 1968
La Fée (The Fairy) - Etching - 1968

La Fée (The Fairy) - Etching - 1968

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Roma, IT

Etching and drypoint realized in 1968. Table from the Series "Les Amours de Cassandre", published by Argillet, Paris. Edition of 56/95 on japanese paper, hand colored. Hand signed...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Figurative Mixed Media Bust Sculpture in Ceramic Oxides and Carved Fir Wood
Figurative Mixed Media Bust Sculpture in Ceramic Oxides and Carved Fir Wood

Figurative Mixed Media Bust Sculpture in Ceramic Oxides and Carved Fir Wood

By Óscar Aldonza Torres

Located in FISTERRA, ES

This figurative mixed media bust sculpture in ceramic, metallic oxides and carved fir wood opens with a strong emphasis on material expression and emotional tension. The work belongs to the Xentes series, a body of sculptures by the Spanish artist Óscar Aldonza Torres that explores the dialogue between individuality and collective identity. The piece combines high-temperature ceramic for the head—treated with oxides and imitation gold leaf—with a tall fir-wood torso...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Metal, Gold Leaf

original lithograph

original lithograph

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original lithograph. Printed in Paris by Mourlot and published by Pierre à Feu and Maeght Editeur for the Marcel Duchamp / André Breton project Surréalisme en 1947. Issued in...

Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Fleurs de Neige
Fleurs de Neige

Fleurs de Neige

By Henri Matisse

Located in OPOLE, PL

Henri Matisse (1869-1954) - Fleurs de Neige Lithograph from 1958. Dimensions of work: 35.5 x 26.4 cm Plate signed. Publisher: Tériade, Paris. First, original edition. The work ...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Joan Miro, Bird Before the Sun, from Derriere le Miroir, 1961
Joan Miro, Bird Before the Sun, from Derriere le Miroir, 1961

Joan Miro, Bird Before the Sun, from Derriere le Miroir, 1961

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Oiseau devant le solei (Bird Before the Sun), originates from the April 1961 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 125-126, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, under the direction of Aime Maeght, and printed by Imprimerie Arte, Paris, 1961. The composition exemplifies Miro’s poetic use of symbolic imagery, where the bird and sun function as elemental forces within his visual language. Through gestural line, saturated color, and spatial freedom, the work reflects Miro’s fusion of cosmic imagery, instinctive mark making, and lyrical abstraction. Executed on velin paper, this lithograph measures 33 x 15 inches (83.82 x 38.1 cm), with bifold, as issued. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition reflects the refined technical standards and craftsmanship of Imprimerie Arte, Paris. Artwork Details: Artist: Joan Miro (1893–1983) Title: Oiseau devant le solei (Bird Before the Sun), from Derriere le Miroir, No. 125-126, April 1961 Medium: Lithograph on velin paper Dimensions: 33 x 15 inches (83.82 x 38.1 cm), with bifold, as issued Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1961 Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris Printer: Imprimerie Arte, Paris Catalogue raisonne reference: Miro, Joan, et al. Joan Miro Lithographe. Maeght, 1972–1992, illustration 1722 Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the April 1961 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 125-126, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris About the Publication: Derriere le Miroir (translated as "Behind the Mirror") was an iconic French art periodical published from 1946 to 1982 by Maeght Editeur, one of the most influential art publishers of the twentieth century. Founded by Aime Maeght in Paris, the publication was conceived as a visual and literary collaboration between leading modern artists, poets, and critics. Each issue functioned as both an exhibition catalogue and an autonomous work of art, featuring original lithographs printed directly from the artists stones or plates alongside essays, poems, and critical texts. Over more than three decades, Derriere le Miroir produced over 250 issues and presented an extraordinary range of artists including Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Georges Braque, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, Pierre Bonnard, Alberto Giacometti, Eduardo Chillida, Ellsworth Kelly, Francis Bacon, Antoni Tapies, Pierre Alechinsky, Pol Bury, Bram van Velde, and many others. Printed by master ateliers such as Mourlot and Arte, the series established new standards of excellence in modern lithography and graphic design. Closely linked to exhibitions at Galerie Maeght, each issue served as a lasting document of postwar modernism, uniting image, text, and philosophy into a uniquely influential publication that remains among the most important and collectible achievements in twentieth century art publishing. 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 twentieth 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 approximately 37 million USD at Sothebys, London, on June 19, 2012. Joan Miro Oiseau...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Florals Carnation Don Quixote
Florals Carnation Don Quixote

Florals Carnation Don Quixote

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Hollywood, FL

ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Florals Don Quixote MEDIUM: Etching on Heavy Arches Paper SIGNED: Hand Signed by Salvador Dali EDITION NUMBER: EA MEASUREMENTS: 29.5" x 22" YEAR:...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

L'Illusioniste - Etching - 1960s
L'Illusioniste - Etching - 1960s

L'Illusioniste - Etching - 1960s

By Salvador Dalí­

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...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Salvador Dali - Return, O Shulamite
Salvador Dali - Return, O Shulamite

Salvador Dali - Return, O Shulamite

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in London, GB

Original Etching from the series ‘The Song of the Songs of King Solomon’ in colours with stencil on Arches wove paper. signed and numbered by the artist 57.1 x 38 cm - sheet size 66...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

"Lawless" Black & White Photography 29.5" x 24" in Ed. 1/15 by Olha Stepanian
"Lawless" Black & White Photography 29.5" x 24" in Ed. 1/15 by Olha Stepanian

"Lawless" Black & White Photography 29.5" x 24" in Ed. 1/15 by Olha Stepanian

By Olha Stepanian

Located in Culver City, CA

"Lawless" Black & White Photography 29.5" x 24" in Ed. 1/15 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Comes with COA issued by the art...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

original lithograph

original lithograph

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original lithograph. Printed in Paris by Mourlot and published by Pierre à Feu and Maeght Editeur for the Marcel Duchamp / André Breton project Surréalisme en 1947. Issued in...

Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Surrealist Painting on Cut Paper and Board, Figural Gestures in Sunset Landscape
Surrealist Painting on Cut Paper and Board, Figural Gestures in Sunset Landscape

Surrealist Painting on Cut Paper and Board, Figural Gestures in Sunset Landscape

By Gozo

Located in FISTERRA, ES

Surrealist acrylic painting on cut paper mounted on board, featuring two figural hand gestures against a vivid sunset landscape. This original work by Gozo Collective combines classi...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Board

La Perruche et la Sirène
La Perruche et la Sirène

La Perruche et la Sirène

By Henri Matisse

Located in OPOLE, PL

Henri Matisse (1869-1954) - La Perruche et la Sirène Lithograph from 1958. Dimensions of work: 78 x 35.5 cm. Publisher: Tériade, Paris. Each copy of this...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Body of Mind -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women, Men Oil, Modern Art
Body of Mind -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women, Men Oil, Modern Art

Body of Mind -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women, Men Oil, Modern Art

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Lawrence...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

Alexander Calder, Untitled, from XXe Siecle, 1952
Alexander Calder, Untitled, from XXe Siecle, 1952

Alexander Calder, Untitled, from XXe Siecle, 1952

By Alexander Calder

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Alexander Calder (1898–1976), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the album XXe Siecle, Nouvelle serie No. 3 (double), Juin 1952, originates from the 1952...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Femme-feuille
Femme-feuille

Femme-feuille

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in OPOLE, PL

Salvador Dali (1904-1989) - Femme-feuille Etching from 1969. 66/145 on Japan paper. Dimensions of work: 38 x 28 cm. Hand signed. Publisher: Graphik Europa Anstalt. Reference: M...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Surrealist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Surrealist art available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, purple, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, and Leonor Fini. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Lithograph and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Surrealist art, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available. Prices for art made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1 and tops out at $1,450,000, while the average work sells for $1,426.