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Surrealist Art

8,973 Results
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
Tertia Die Resurrexit  - Lithograph  - 1964

Tertia Die Resurrexit - Lithograph - 1964

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Roma, IT

Tertia die resurrexit ("Raised up the Third Day") is an artwork realized in 1964. It is part of Biblia Sacra vulgatæ editionis published by Rizzoli-Mediolani between 1967 and 1969. Color lithograph on heavy rag paper. Signed and dated on plate on the right margin. Perfect conditions. Prov. Private Collection, Southern France. This artwork represents the Resaurrection of God after his Death. According to the Scriptures, in fact the God raised up after three days. In the representation there are two figures that spread light and brightness. The spontaneous Bulletism process and the richiamo colors in the image truly highlight Dali’s range of creativity and use of space. The lithograph is part of the imponent work Biblia Sacra vulgatæ editionis published by Rizzoli-Mediolani between 1967 and 1969. It was illustrated by Salvador Dalí with a suite of 105 colored lithographs after water-color artworks. The paper sheets are signed and dated on plate, and each of them comes with a Japanese paper tissue with a printed biblical quotation. In 1963, Biblia Sacra was commissioned by Giuseppe Albaretto, a very pious man, who was one of Dalí’s closest friends and patrons between the 1950s and the 1960s. Giuseppe Albaretto and his wife Mara commissioned several of Dalí's works, and became important publishers of his etchings and lithographs, including the Biblia Sacra. Through these commissions, Albaretto hoped that Dalí would reconcile with religion. The friendship between the Albarettos and Salvador Dalì provided the art world with some of the most spectacular Surrealist artworks. These works are a few of the most desirable graphic works ever created by the artist. In the preface of the work, the publisher asserts that the lithographs “configure, in both a universal and a personal way, the dynamic vision that characterizes the relationship between men and God”. Salvador Dalí (Figueres, 1904 – Figueres, 1989) is considered one of the most versatile and prolific artists of the XX century and the founding father of Surrealism. In the course of his long career, he successfully experimented with sculpture, fashion, writing, and filmmaking. In his early use of organic morphology, his work bears the stamp of Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró. His work is also characterized by a fascination with classical art, manifested in the realistic style and religious symbolism of his latest works. Dalí was born near Barcelona to a middle class family. He soon demonstrated an interest in art, and, at the age of 18, he attended the Special Painting, Sculpture and Engraving School of San Fernando in Madrid. His eccentricity was notorious, and at first even more famous than his works. When he traveled to Paris, he met Pablo Picasso in his studio and took inspiration from Cubism. In 1928, he collaborated with Buñuel on Un Chien Andalou...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

The Devourer, Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Signed, 1987
The Devourer, Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Signed, 1987

The Devourer, Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Signed, 1987

By Robert Dandarov

Located in Astoria, NY

Robert Dandarov (Macedonian/American, b. 1959), The Devourer, Mixed Media on Paper, 1987, signed and dated lower right, ebonized wood frame. Image: 30" H x 22" W'; frame: 32.75" H x...

Category

1980s Surrealist Art

Materials

Charcoal, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Pencil

François-Xavier Lalanne, Sheeps (Les Moutons), rare original print, 2004
François-Xavier Lalanne, Sheeps (Les Moutons), rare original print, 2004

François-Xavier Lalanne, Sheeps (Les Moutons), rare original print, 2004

By François-Xavier Lalanne

Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Francois-Xavier Lalanne (1927-2008) Les Spitz, 2004 Rare original lithograph handsigned in pencil by François Xavier Lalanne and untitled "Les Moutons" ("The Sheeps"), in perfect co...

Category

Early 2000s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper

Italian Surrealist "Butterflies Under the Sea, 1962" Painting
Italian Surrealist "Butterflies Under the Sea, 1962" Painting

Italian Surrealist "Butterflies Under the Sea, 1962" Painting

By Giordano Falzoni

Located in Surfside, FL

Genre: Contemporary Subject: Abstract Medium: Oil Surface: Canvas Country: Italy Dimensions: 19 3/4" x 15 1/2" x 3/4" Dimensions w/Frame: 26" x 22" Giordano Falzoni (Italian, 1925-...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Personnages Lithograph by R.S. Matta, Surrealist, Signed, 1980s

Personnages Lithograph by R.S. Matta, Surrealist, Signed, 1980s

By Sebastian Matta

Located in Roma, IT

Personnages is an Artwork realized by Roberto Sebastián Antonio Matta Echaurren (Santiago, Chile, 1911 - Civitavecchia, Italy, 2002). Colored Litograph on paper. Hand Signed on the lower right margin. Good conditions. After studying architecture, in 1934 Roberto Sebastian Matta moved to Paris, where he worked with Le Corbusier and came into contact with intellectuals such as Rafael Alberti and Federico García Lorca. Here, he also met André Breton and Salvador Dalí , and adhered to the Surrealist movement, elaborating a painting style focused on psychological morphologies. In 1944, Breton wrote: " Matta is the one who most faithfully keeps his star, which is perhaps on the best path to reach the supreme secret: the control of fire". An extremely dynamic Chilean artist, who met Alvar Aalto in Scandinavia, Henry Moore , Roland Penrose...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

New moon.

New moon.

By Maggie Taylor

Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

In 1981 Maggie Taylor (b. 1961) began to photograph while she was a student at Yale University majoring in philosophy. She primarily took photographs of suburban landscapes and stran...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

Petals in Reverie II - Framed Botanical Flowers Still Life Acrylic Painting
Petals in Reverie II - Framed Botanical Flowers Still Life Acrylic Painting

Petals in Reverie II - Framed Botanical Flowers Still Life Acrylic Painting

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

Marcel Dzama, Farewell loved ones (black)
Marcel Dzama, Farewell loved ones (black)

Marcel Dzama, Farewell loved ones (black)

By Marcel Dzama

Located in Hamburg, DE

Marcel Dzama (Canadian, b. 1974) Farewell loved ones (black), 2018 Medium: Lithograph on wove paper Dimensions: 68 x 50 cm Edition of 20: Hand-signed and numbered Condition: Mint

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Bobby' Nightmare (pug dog face helicopter vintage surreal oil painting)
Bobby' Nightmare (pug dog face helicopter vintage surreal oil painting)

Bobby' Nightmare (pug dog face helicopter vintage surreal oil painting)

By Rudolf Kosow

Located in Quebec, Quebec

"Bobby's Nightmare" by Rudolf Kosow is a striking blend of humor and surrealism, juxtaposing an exaggeratedly expressive pug with an intense military scene. The dog's bulging eyes, lolling tongue, and shocked expression contrast sharply with the highly detailed helicopter and soldiers descending from the sky, creating an absurd and unexpected composition. The painting plays on the idea of a pet's anxiety, turning an ordinary moment of canine surprise into an action-packed, almost cinematic spectacle. The hyperrealistic rendering of the pug’s fur and facial details enhances the surrealism, making the implausible scene feel eerily convincing. With its mix of realism and whimsy, Bobby’s Nightmare captures the chaotic energy of an overactive imagination—whether that of a dog startled by its surroundings or a playful human interpretation of a pet’s exaggerated emotions. keywords; painting on canvas, surrealist painting, americana...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Unicorn Laser Disintegrates the Horns of Cosmic Rhinoceroses (The Conquest o
The Unicorn Laser Disintegrates the Horns of Cosmic Rhinoceroses (The Conquest o

The Unicorn Laser Disintegrates the Horns of Cosmic Rhinoceroses (The Conquest o

By Salvador Dalí­

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...

Category

20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Drypoint, Lithograph

'Cheerleader' — Mid-century American Surrealism, Chicago Avant-garde
'Cheerleader' — Mid-century American Surrealism, Chicago Avant-garde

'Cheerleader' — Mid-century American Surrealism, Chicago Avant-garde

By Robert Vale Faro

Located in Myrtle Beach, SC

Robert Vale Faro, 'Cheerleader', wood engraving, 1945, edition 15. Signed, dated, titled, and numbered '104' (the artist's inventory number) and '8/15' in pencil. A fine, black impression, with full margins (1 1/2 inches), on heavy, cream wove paper, in excellent condition. Scarce. Matted to museum standards, unframed. ABOUT THE ARTIST Robert Vale Faro (1902-1988) was a well-known modernist architect and artist associated with the Chicago Bauhaus...

Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

At the Museum I - surreal, contemporary, figurative, oil on canvas
At the Museum I - surreal, contemporary, figurative, oil on canvas

At the Museum I - surreal, contemporary, figurative, oil on canvas

Located in Bloomfield, ON

This surrealist painting by Toni Hamel features a Group of Seven piece and focuses on the theme of climate change. In this imaginative painting, Toni Hamel sends a powerful message ...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

10 Angry Men
10 Angry Men

10 Angry Men

Located in Zofingen, AG

I have sent my work to over 65 countries and some significant landmarks such as Berkeley Square in London’s Mayfair, 5th Ave New York, Malibu beach in California Hong Kong, Monaco, M...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Salvador Dali "The Old Faust"
Salvador Dali "The Old Faust"

Salvador Dali "The Old Faust"

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Boston, MA

Artist: Dali, Salvador Title: The Old Faust Series: Faust Date: 1969 Medium: drypoint Framed Dimensions: 22.5" x 18.5" Signature: Pencil signed Edition: 49/145 Literature: Al...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Drypoint

Fantasy. 1995, acrylic on canvas, 100x60 cm

Fantasy. 1995, acrylic on canvas, 100x60 cm

By Igor Leontiev

Located in Riga, LV

Fantasy. 1995, acrylic on canvas, 100x60 cm Painting with fantastic creatures, castle, gandolier and explosion in the sky Igor Leontiev (1957) - one of the leading independent paint...

Category

1990s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

"L'été"

"L'été"

By Joan Miró

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: lithograph and pochoir. Catalogue reference: Dupin 1310, Benhoura 396. This lithograph was printed in 1938 at the atelier Mourlot and published in Paris by Teriade for the ar...

Category

1930s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Ficus Elastica - Original lithograph - Limited / 25 copies
Ficus Elastica - Original lithograph - Limited / 25 copies

Ficus Elastica - Original lithograph - Limited / 25 copies

By Max Ernst

Located in Paris, IDF

Max ERNST (1891-1976) Ficus Elastica, c. 1965 Original lithograph Unsigned Numbered / XXV copies On Japanese paper 57 x 42 cm INFORMATION: Edition produced by Lucien Treillard, pub...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Symbol of Love - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Couple
Symbol of Love - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Couple

Symbol of Love - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Couple

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 (Issued by the Gal...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic

My Imperfection Gaze - 21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Woman
My Imperfection Gaze - 21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Woman

My Imperfection Gaze - 21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Woman

By Akanji Bolaji

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

A portrait can tell a story, my artistic pieces highlight the exploration of the complexity of human identity, space and existence. My imagery embodies the unconventional expression ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Glitter, Acrylic

Plate VI, Le Cocu Magnifique
Plate VI, Le Cocu Magnifique

Plate VI, Le Cocu Magnifique

By Pablo Picasso

Located in Fairlawn, OH

Plate VI, Le Cocu Magnifique etching & aquatint, 1968 Unsigned as usual From the unsigned edition of 200 impressions printed on Rives BFK paper There is also a signed edition of 30 i...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching, Aquatint

Bull, the Dog
Bull, the Dog

Y.m.LoBull, the Dog, 2017

$360Sale Price|40% Off

Bull, the Dog

By Y.m.Lo

Located in East Hampton, NY

Bull dog in a suit Animals dressed up fantasy, surreal Comes ROLLED in a tube Needs framing Artist Y.m.Lo is known for his Wheat Pasted Animals in proper ...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Daughter of the Moon, Original Painting
Daughter of the Moon, Original Painting

Daughter of the Moon, Original Painting

By Yamilet Sempe

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Yamilet Sempe draws inspiration from the Moon as a timeless symbol of feminine strength and intuition. Its gentle glow through darkness reflects the abil...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Mixed Media

(after) Marino Marini - "Cavalier et cheval" pochoir

(after) Marino Marini - "Cavalier et cheval" pochoir

By Marino Marini

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 (135 x 10...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph, Stencil

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.