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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
Parget in Chaos, Surrealist Etching by Jim McCormick
Parget in Chaos, Surrealist Etching by Jim McCormick

Parget in Chaos, Surrealist Etching by Jim McCormick

Located in Long Island City, NY

Jim McCormick, American - Parget in Chaos, Year: 1969, Medium: Etching on Arches, signed, titled, numbered and dated in pencil, Edition: 20, Image Size: 17.75 x 14.75 inches, Size:...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

La Piscine
La Piscine

Henri MatisseLa Piscine, 1958

$966Sale Price|20% Off

La Piscine

By Henri Matisse

Located in OPOLE, PL

Henri Matisse (1869-1954) - Femmes et Singes Lithograph from 1958. Dimensions of work: 52.5 x 35.5 cm. Publisher: Tériade, Paris. Each copy of this Lithograph was originally publ...

Category

1950s 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

(after) Julio Gonzalez - "Personnage barbu" pochoir

(after) Julio Gonzalez - "Personnage barbu" pochoir

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: 6 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches (173 x 97 mm...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph, Stencil

The Blasphemers - Woodcut  - 1963
The Blasphemers - Woodcut  - 1963

The Blasphemers - Woodcut - 1963

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Roma, IT

The blasphemers is a woodcut print realized in 1963 for a series illustrating the Medieval poem of the "Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri. Not signed, as issued. Plate n.14 (as ...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

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

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

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

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

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

The Web
The Web

The Web

By Ray H. French

Located in Fairlawn, OH

The Web Engraving and soft ground, 1950 Signed, titled, dated and numbered by the artist Edition: 35 (26/35) Printed by Master Printer, Jon Clemens, 2000 Provenance: Estate of the ar...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Engraving, 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

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

Joan Miro, Figure, Bird, Star, from XXe siecle, 1959
Joan Miro, Figure, Bird, Star, from XXe siecle, 1959

Joan Miro, Figure, Bird, Star, from XXe siecle, 1959

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite linocut by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Personnage, Oiseau, Etoile (Figure, Bird, Star), from the album XXe Siecle, Nouvelle serie, XXIe Annee, No. 13, originates fro...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Linocut

Joan Miro, The Spanish Dancer, from Derriere le miroir, 1963
Joan Miro, The Spanish Dancer, from Derriere le miroir, 1963

Joan Miro, The Spanish Dancer, from Derriere le miroir, 1963

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled La danseuse espagnole (The Spanish Dancer), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 139–140, originates from the 1963 editio...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Nu à l'éventail - Etching by Marc Chagall - 1924
Nu à l'éventail - Etching by Marc Chagall - 1924

Nu à l'éventail - Etching by Marc Chagall - 1924

By Marc Chagall

Located in Roma, IT

This wonderful original etching with drypoint  was realized by Marc Chagall  in 1924. Hand-signed in pencil by the artist "Marc Chagall" at the lower right corner. It's an artist pro...

Category

1920s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Digital World, Oil Painting
Digital World, Oil Painting

Digital World, Oil Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A young boy stands indoors, absorbed in his mobile device. Just beyond an open door, a polar bear looms inside the house, its mouth open as if roaring. The brig...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Portrait of Picasso
Portrait of Picasso

Portrait of Picasso

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Hollywood, FL

ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Portrait of Picasso MEDIUM: Etching SIGNED: Hand Signed EDITION NUMBER: a/b 66/200 MEASUREMENTS: 19" x 31" YEAR: 1970 FRAMED: No CONDITION: Exc...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Gold Earrings - Large Colorful Surrealist Figurative Feminine Portrait Painting
Gold Earrings - Large Colorful Surrealist Figurative Feminine Portrait Painting

Gold Earrings - Large Colorful Surrealist Figurative Feminine Portrait Painting

By Carlos Gamez de Francisco

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Watercolor, Acrylic

Tribute to Magritte - Original handsigned lithograph
Tribute to Magritte - Original handsigned lithograph

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

Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Horses in a Mythological Landscape - Lithograph
Horses in a Mythological Landscape - Lithograph

Horses in a Mythological Landscape - Lithograph

By Giorgio De Chirico

Located in Paris, IDF

Giorgio de CHIRICO Horses in a Mythological Landscape, c. 1955 Lithograph and stencil (Jacomet workshop) Printed signature in the plate On light vellum 48 x 38 cm (c. 19 x 15 in) V...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph, Stencil

The Ugly Duckling
The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in OPOLE, PL

Salvador Dali (1904-1989) - The Ugly Duckling Lithograph from 1966. The edition 63/75 on Japanese paper. Dimensions of work: 65 x 50 cm. Hand signed. Publisher: Gerschman, Stock...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Cowboy Shooters
Cowboy Shooters

Cowboy Shooters

By Marcel Dzama

Located in Toronto, Ontario

With his unmistakable version of contemporary Surrealism, as comical as it is otherworldly, Marcel Dzama is one of Canada's most internationally successful artists. Dzama's works ar...

Category

1990s Surrealist Art

Materials

Ink, Mixed Media

Island. Tan Horse, Original Painting
Island. Tan Horse, Original Painting

Island. Tan Horse, Original Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
This painting features a horse standing against a stylized coastal landscape. Geometric shapes define the sky, clouds, and buildings, while background elements ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Very Large French Surrealist Contemporary Painting Abstract Figures Embracing
Very Large French Surrealist Contemporary Painting Abstract Figures Embracing

Very Large French Surrealist Contemporary Painting Abstract Figures Embracing

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

French Surrealist artist, late 20th century/ early 21st. acrylic and pen painting on board, unframed board: 29.5 x 41.5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very...

Category

Early 2000s Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Pen

Five Red Tulips - Framed Pink Original Whimsical Floral Artwork on Canvas
Five Red Tulips - Framed Pink Original Whimsical Floral Artwork on Canvas

Five Red Tulips - Framed Pink Original Whimsical Floral Artwork on Canvas

By Carlos Gamez de Francisco

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Carlos Gamez de Francisco’s "The House at the End of the Road" is a striking blend of hyperrealism, figurative surrealism, and imaginative narrative art. This 12-inch round acrylic p...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Surreal Landscape by Italian Artist Lanfranco Finocchioli
Surreal Landscape by Italian Artist Lanfranco Finocchioli

Surreal Landscape by Italian Artist Lanfranco Finocchioli

Located in New York, NY

Lanfranco Finocchioli (Italian, b. 20th century) Sognando Capri (Dreaming of Capri), 2003 Oil on canvas 13 3/4 x 19 5/8 in. Framed: 19 1/4 x 23 1/4 x 1 1/8 in. Signed and dated lower...

Category

Early 2000s 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.