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.
"Hemerocallis I" (2022) by Sybiline, Oil Painting, Pink Day Lily
By Sybiline
Located in Denver, CO
Sybiline's (CAN based) "Hemerocallis I" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a portrait of a pink day lily. About the Artist: Sybiline is a Canadian artist based in Q...
Oil, Panel
Don Quixote
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Don Quixote MEDIUM: Etching SIGNED: Hand Signed by Salvador Dali EDITION NUMBER: 80/100 MEASUREMENTS: 30" x 22" YEAR: 1966 FRAMED: No CONDITION:...
Etching
Don't scare them away
Located in Zofingen, AG
There are creatures that cannot be held back. They come only when the world becomes quiet enough. This work is about that fragile moment of trust between a person and the unknown. It...
Canvas, Acrylic
Adam and Eve Banished from the Paradise - 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...
Lithograph
Urban Life - Abstract Earthy Tone Architectural Landscape Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Maria C Bernhardsson's original artworks are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Born in Sweden, Bernhardsson travels the world photographing and sketching houses ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,988Sale Price|20% Off
At the destination - Contemporary Acrylic Painting, Vibrant colors, Landscape
Located in Warsaw, PL
*Painting will be available after 6.06.2021* Marta Rynkiewicz is a young Polish artist born in 1983. She studied painting with Professor Henryk Czenik and graphic arts with Profes...
Canvas, Acrylic
'Nocturnal Adversary' — Mid-Century Surrealist Abstraction
Located in Myrtle Beach, SC
Edward Landon 'Nocturnal Adversary', color serigraph, 1946, edition 50, Ryan 137. Signed in pencil in the image, lower right. Titled, dated, and annotated '6 COLORS EDITION 50' in th...
Screen
Incomparable Chant D'été De L'azur, Surrealist Etching with Aquatint by Jean Sol
Located in Long Island City, NY
Jean Solombre, French (1948 - ) - Incomparable Chant D'été De L'azur, Year: 1981, Medium: Etching with Aquatint on Arches, signed, titled, numbered and dated in pencil, Edition: 1...
Etching, Aquatint
Goddess the Violinist and Swan
Located in Zofingen, AG
As the artist, I've poured my soul into this canvas, blending oils to evoke a sense of enigmatic allure and surreal wonder. With each stroke, I've strived to weave a narrative that t...
Oil
Le Cerf se voyant dans l'eau, Surrealist Etching with Pochoir by Salvador Dali
Located in Long Island City, NY
Salvador Dali, Spanish (1904 - 1989) - Le Cerf se Voyant dans l'eau, Portfolio: Le Bestiaire de la Fontaine, Year: 1974, Medium: Etching with Pochoir on Japon, Signed and numbered...
Etching, Stencil
Tribute to Magritte - Original handsigned lithograph
Located in Paris, IDF
Jean-Pierre HENAUT (1942-) Tribute to Magritte Original lithograph Handsigned in pencil Limited /275 copies On vellum 76 x 56 cm (c. 29.9 x 22 in) Excellent condition
Lithograph
Angel I. Mystic/symbolic oil painting, vertical, dark colors, medium size
Located in Oslo, NO
This portrait is truly mystic. A young, beautiful person—let's call her Angel—is playing an invisible violin. The surroundings are dark, yet a strong light illuminates only her face ...
Canvas, Oil
$1,005
Schéhérazade - 20th Century, Surrealist, Lithograph, Figurative Print
Located in Sint-Truiden, BE
Color lithograph after the 1950 oil on canvas by René Magritte, printed signature of Magritte and numbered from the edition of 275. The lithograph features the dry stamps of the Mag...
Lithograph
$60Sale Price|20% Off
Max Ernst 'Ursachen Der Sonne, The Sun' 1989- Surrealist Vintage
By Max Ernst
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This rare exhibition poster features Max Ernst's Ursachen ("Causes"), part of the acclaimed "Collection of European Masters" series published by Achenbach Editions for the Kunstsamml...
Offset
Surrealist Lithograph 'Souvenir de Voyage', Signed, Edition of 275
Located in Milwaukee, WI
Image size: 18.25 x 15 in Paper size: 23.63 x 17.07 in Frame size: 32.38 x 29.13 in Color lithograph after the 1961 gouache on paper by René Magritte, plate-signed by Magritte an...
Lithograph
$250Sale Price|50% Off
Le Cirque Magique 1998 Signed Limited Edition Lithograph
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Artist: Isabelle Planté Title: Le Cirque Magique - Year: 1998 Print : Lithograph on wove paper Size: 35'' x 24'' inches image size 26.5" x 21" inches Edition: Signed in pencil a...
Lithograph
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 wi...
Lithograph
$4,640Sale Price|20% Off
Ya te Olvide - figurative painting, landscape painting, surreal 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
Le Joie Colored Lithograph, Surrealist, Artist Proof, Mid-20th Century
By Marc Chagall
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Marc Chagall "Le Joie" 1980 Signed lower right margin, ed. EA lower left margin. Colored lithograph Sheet size 45.7 x 29.6 inch - 116 x 75.3 cm Artist Proof “Le Joie” (French for Jo...
Lithograph
1966 original exhibition poster by Man Ray at Los Angeles County Museum of Art
By Man Ray
Located in PARIS, FR
The 1966 original exhibition poster by Man Ray for "À l'heure de l'observatoire – les amoureux" at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is a captivating piece of art history....
Paper, Lithograph
Pàjaro Surrealista - Lithograph by Wifredo Lam - 1966
By Wifredo Lam
Located in Roma, IT
Lithograph on paper. Image dimension 38x55,5 cm. Hand signed and numbered. Edition of 300. Table from the Suite "Prisunic"
Lithograph
The City 's Conscience
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "The City 's Conscience" 2006 is an original color serigraph by Ukrainian/American artist Anatole Krasnyansky. It is hand signed and numbered 45/495 in black ink by the artist. The artwork size is 24 x 17.5 inches, framed size is 29.5 x 23 inches. Custom framed in a wooden black and gold frame, with fabric liner. It is in excellent condition. About the artist: Anatole Krasnyansky (born in 1930; Kiev, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian-American artist who has gained prominence by pioneering a new watercolor technique. Krasnyansky added paper texture as a component of his watercolors. With this new process, Krasnyansky added texture and depth to the watercolor medium and expanded its expressive possibilities to a level usually associated with oil painting. Biography He was born in Kiev, growing up and living during the times when Ukraine was a part of the U.S.S.R. Krasnyansky received master's degrees in fine art and architecture. He found that the freedom of expression that he needed in his artwork could not be found within the strictures of the Soviet Union and moved to the United States in 1975. In the U.S., Krasnyansky found valuable use for his knowledge of architecture, design and his imagination. and found success in multiple artistic pursuits. Almost surreal, Krasnyansky’s figures are recognizable form while incorporating elements of his Eastern heritage, the cubist ideas of Picasso and Braque, and as well as American culture. Accomplishments Krasnyansky began working as a scenic artist for ABC and CBS, including the production of two Academy Awards shows. He became a set designer for Universal Studios (credits including The Blues Brothers and Battlestar Galactica...
Screen
Symphony Bicyclette
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Symphony Bicyclette MEDIUM: Lithograph SIGNED: Hand Signed by Salvador Dali EDITION NUMBER: 52/200 MEASUREMENTS: 35.25" x 25.5" YEAR: 1970 FRAMED:...
Lithograph
"The Cat", Surrealist John Devoluy (1903-1982) Oil on canvas
Located in New York, NY
John Devoluy (1903-1982) The Cat, 1950 c. Oil on canvas 28 3/4 x 24 inches l 73 x 61 cm With frame: 30 3/4 x 26 inches l 78 x 66 cm Signed lower left John Devoluy was born in 1903 a...
Canvas, Oil
Salvador Dali - Don Quichotte
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Salvador Dali - Don Quichotte - Original Lithograph Joseph FORET, Paris, 1957 PRINTER : Atelier Mourlot. SIGNATURE : printed signature in the plate LIMI...
Lithograph
The Magicians L'Illusioniste
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: The Magicians L'Illusioniste MEDIUM: Etching SIGNED: Hand Signed PUBLISHER: Editions Argillet, Paris EDITION NUMBER: 68/100 MEASUREMENTS: Paper: 1...
Etching
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
Surrealist Garden - Vertical Psychedelic Still Life in Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
Surrealist Garden - Vertical Psychedelic Still Life in Acrylic on Canvas Vibrant, playful composition by Marilyn Collins (American, 20h Century). Several striped, spherical objects ...
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
(after) Marino Marini - "Giocolieri" pochoir
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: pochoir (after the lithograph). Printed by the atelier of Daniel Jacomet, and published in Paris in 1955 by Heinz Berggruen. The image measures 5 1/4 x 3 3/4 inches (130 x 90...
Lithograph, Stencil
Vintage Modernist Surreal "Metamorphosis" Still Life Exhibited Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist surreal interior scene oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Measuring: 27 by 30 inches overall. Hands...
Canvas, Oil
$799Sale Price|20% Off
Immigrant Experience - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract, African, Landscape
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
At first glance, The Immigrant Experience presents a simple paper boat. Yet within its fragile form lies the weight of a nation’s story. Set adrift on turbulent waves, the boat evoke...
Canvas, Acrylic
Gnomes et Gnose, Original Lithograph, Modern, 1974, Signed
Located in OPOLE, PL
Pierre Alechinsky (1927) - Gnomes et Gnose Lithograph from 1974. The edition of XIX/XXV. Dimensions of work: 75.5 x 54.5 cm. Hand signed. Publisher: Atelier Clot, Paris. Publis...
Lithograph
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Woman In The Chair
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Woman in the chair, heavy oil impasto on canvas framed. Elisabeth Sabala Abelló (Barcelona, 1956). She studied industrial design at the School of Arts and Crafts in Barcelona and has a degree in Fine Arts, a specialty in painting, from the Central University of the same city. Sabala is a convinced figurative who has given all the prominence of her work to the representation of the human being in its most trivial aspects. At a time when the artistic landscape extols abstract and conceptual art focused on the great universal themes, Sabala continues to focus on the small defects that bring us closer to the collective and the human. The artistic progression of Sabala takes place, at first, from a bleak period to another vitalist and, later, from the representation of isolated characters (In the super, Reading the stories of the paintings) to the recreation of great concentrations of its peculiar individuals characterized in an endless number of situations (The Great Dance, The Girls of the Choir). Sabala's work is vital and touching, as well as scathing and satirical: it confronts its characters in the most varied situations, capturing, at the same time, the viewer's attention with an unusual juxtaposition of colors that do not seek chromatic harmony, but expression and movement through matter. In 1980 he won the first prize of a painting of the City of Castelldefels, and the following year he debuted individually in the Caixa Catalunya room, in Barcelona. In 1984, she was selected for the XXIII Joan Miró Drawing Prize, taking part in a traveling exhibition in Japan. Sabala won the first prize in the International Painting Competition of Pollença (Mallorca) in 1985, and the following year she took part in a collective held at the Martano gallery in Turin. That same year of 1986 she obtained the Scholarship of Plastic Arts of the Generalitat de Catalunya. He continues to hold personal shows in Barcelona, Mallorca, Madrid, and Italy, and in 1989 he debuted in New York with an individual exhibition held at the Scott Alan Gallery. Since then she will reiterate his presence both in that city and in Paris, Berlin, Monaco, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Hong Kong, etc. His works have been present at Interactive, ARCO, Art Forum, Art Jonction and New Art, as well as in various Spanish museums. • Studies: Fine Arts, University of Barcelona • Industrial Design, School of Arts and Crafts, Barcelona Main exhibitions Spain: • Barcelona: ◦ Arcs & Cracks, 1990, 1992, Anna Benach 1993, Helena Ramos 1993 ◦ Maria Jose Castellvi 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001 “a wedding is a wedding” + Performance “Ella” ◦ 2004, 2006 “Fashion satisfaction” + Performance ◦ 2008 “Women's weapons” • Girona: ◦ Helena Ramos 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995 ◦ Cyprus Art...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
"Empty Shelves Again" - Surrealist Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
Andreas Claussen (b. 1988, Hanover, Germany) is a pioneering oil painter whose journey from law studies to the art world underscores his deep-seated passion for visual storytelling. ...
Canvas, Oil
"Expect Darkness to Surround You" - Surrealist Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
Andreas Claussen (b. 1988, Hanover, Germany) is a pioneering oil painter whose journey from law studies to the art world underscores his deep-seated passion for visual storytelling. ...
Canvas, Oil
$710Sale Price|20% Off
Técnica Mixta Composición Onírica, Surrealist, Framed, 1976, 78x59 cm
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Firmado por el artista en la parte inferior y fechada del año 1976 Se presenta enmarcada la obra Medidas obra: 78 x 59 cm. Medidas marco: 103 x 83 cm. El estado de la pintura es ...
Mixed Media
(after) Marino Marini - "Le cheval au manège" pochoir
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: pochoir (after the lithograph). Printed by the atelier of Daniel Jacomet, and published in Paris in 1955 by Heinz Berggruen. The image measures 5 x 3 3/4 inches (130 x 93 mm)...
Lithograph, Stencil
$5,105
Salvador Dali lithograph, 1969, signed and numbered, edition of 300, 'Paris'
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) Paris, from S.N.C.F. (Field 69-2BB; M&L 1228a) Lithograph printed in colours, 1969 signed in pencil numbered from the edition of 300 printed by Ateliers...
Lithograph
$450Sale Price|50% Off
Birds in Flight (Comanche Native American surrealist painting)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Birds in Flight, ca. 1975-80. Gouache on Arches rag paper, Sheet measures 23 x 30 inches. Image measures 22 x 29 inches. Signed lower left. Excellent condition. Unframed.
Gouache, Rag Paper
Cattelan Drummer Boy 2003 Offset Print, Surrealist, First Edition
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Original exhibition poster for Fast Forward: Contemporary Collections, Dallas Museum of Art. This visually arresting poster features a provocative and unexpected image characteristi...
Offset
$5,105
Salvador Dali etching with drypoint, 1974, signed and numbered, edition of 120
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) L'Éléphant et Le Singe de Jupiter, from Le Bestiaire de La Fontaine (Field 74-1B; M&L 654) Etching with drypoint and pochoir printed in colours, 1974 signe...
Etching
"Night Walker" - Contemporary Surrealist Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
Andreas Claussen (b. 1988, Hanover, Germany) is a pioneering oil painter whose journey from law studies to the art world underscores his deep-seated passion for visual storytelling. ...
Canvas, Oil
$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
Cerberus Woodcut Print, Surrealist, Limited Edition 1963, Unframed
Located in Roma, IT
Cerberus - Hell plate 6 is a woodcut print realized in 1963 for a series illustrating the Medieval poem of the "Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri. Good conditions. Limited editio...
Woodcut
"Procession (Fish), " Original Colorful Serigraph print fish design unique
By Ronald Osiecki
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Procession (Fish)" is an original serigraph print by Ronald Osiecki. It is signed and part of a limited edition. This print depicts fish hea...
Screen
Saint Sebastian - original painting on round canvas Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"St Sebastian", acrylic on canvas, 20in, round Inspired by the St Sebastian religious paintings, this double portrait is a dreamlike superimposed view of an expressive and sensual fi...
Acrylic
Imaginations & Objects of The Future Melting Space Time
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Imaginations & Objects of The Future Melting Space Time MEDIUM: Etching SIGNED: Hand Signed by Salvador Dali PUBLISHER: Merril Chase, Chicago/Alan Ri...
Etching
Asturias II, Surrealist Etching by Juliana Seraphim
Located in Long Island City, NY
Asturias II Juliana Seraphim, Palestinian (1934–2005) Date: Circa 1970 Etching on Arches, signed and numbered in pencil by the artist and Miguel Asturias Edition of 200 Image Size: 1...
Etching
"HEART" cardboard, oil, 38x33.5 cm. 1990
Located in Zofingen, AG
"HEART" cardboard, oil, 38x33.5 cm. 1990 Explore a striking surrealist vision from the artist's early period with this poignant composition titled "HEART". The artwork depicts a rea...
Oil, Acrylic
$880Sale Price|20% Off
"Upstate", Surrealist Landscape, Farm, Red, Green, Collage, Acrylic Painting
By John Baker
Located in Franklin, MA
John Baker's "Upstate" is an acrylic painting on canvas with collage 20 x 16 inches in greens, reds and tans. The organization of space and surface brings order to farm and town, whi...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Dance of Miriam, Sister of Moses - Etching by Marc Chagall - 1956
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
The Chimera of Chimeras Lithograph, Surrealist, Signed, Edition of 300
Located in Roma, IT
Lithograph on japan paper, realized in 1856/57. Hand signed and numbered. Edition of 300. Ref. Michler-Lopsinger n. 1004 Excellent condition.
Lithograph
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Flower Pot 7 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract, Still Life, Nature, Floral
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 Aka...
Canvas, Acrylic
Surrealist Large Painting Royal College of Art LGBTQ+ Female Crocodile
By Isabel Rock
Located in Norfolk, GB
Isabel Rock is a creator of contemporary fairy tales. A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, her work is an explosion of strange occurrences while a surreal narrative take...
Paint, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Pen
City Layers - Abstract Colorful Architectural Landscape Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Maria C Bernhardsson's original artworks are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Born in Sweden, Bernhardsson travels the world photographing and sketching houses ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Antique French Modern Paris School Still Life Framed Surreal Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Finely painted modernist still life oil painting with a view of the Eiffel Tower and a rotary phone. Oil on canvas. Framed. Measuring 20 by 23 inches overall and 15.25 by 18.25 paint...
Canvas, Oil
Salvador Dali - The Golden Age - Original Lithograph
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Salvador Dali - The Golden Age - Original Lithograph Joseph FORET, Paris, 1957 PRINTER : Ballon. SIGNATURE : plate signed by Dali. LIMITED : 197 copies. EDITION : Number 136 SIZE ...
Lithograph
Optimist, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Benjamin Xu paints a vibrant architectural scene that explores hope, resilience, and bright horizons. The artwork highlights a balance between structure ...
Oil
Mano Sol Giltwood Sculpture, Surrealist, Late 20th Century, Signed
Located in Aventura, FL
Carved giltwood sculpture. Signed Pedro Friedberg on the underside of the base. Size: 10 x 3.25 x 1.5 inches. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Artwork is in excellent co...
Gold Leaf
$16,850
The Unicorn Laser Disintegrates the Horns of Cosmic Rhinoceroses (The Conquest o
Located in Greenwich, CT
The Unicorn Laser Disintegrates the Horns of the Cosmic Rhinoceroses from the Conquest of Cosmos suite – 29.5 x 22" image size, signed ‘Dalí’ lower right and annotated lower left. Fr...
Drypoint, Lithograph
$284
Limited Edition Figurative Portrait Print with Red Camellias on Blue Dibond
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Limited edition figurative portrait print with red camellias, hand-painted acrylic details and a saturated blue background on Dibond. This artwork by Natasha Lelenco belongs to the ...
Metal