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.
Salvador Dalì 1970s Surrealist Signed Original Work on Paper
Located in Roma, IT
Salvador Dalí "Spring" Signed surrealist artist’s proof Salvador Dalí “Spring” Colour lithograph from the cycle The Four Seasons, one of the most fascinating graphic series created ...
Lithograph
TIE Fighter Beatles Pop Art Print, Signed Limited Edition, 40x30 in
By BATIK
Located in London, GB
TIE Fighter Beatles by B A T I K Pop art work featuring the Fab Four Paul McCartney , George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon running away from Star Wars TIE fighters chasing...
Black and White, Archival Pigment
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Flower Pot 9 - 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
Wild Flowers 2 - Abstract Vibrant Color Drenched 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
Hands - Il tempo che passa - Etching by Mayo - 1977
Located in Roma, IT
Etching on paper. Hand Signed and numbered. Edition of 25, in roman numbers. Excellent condition.
Etching
Blue Frame Contemporary Landscape Painting Green Organic Surreal Botanical Forms
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Framed contemporary botanical landscape painting with surreal green organic forms, constructing a biophilic ecosystem as a conceptual portrait of a living world. This work belongs t...
Wood, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Board
$1,996Sale Price|20% Off
Salvador Dali, Untitled, from The Three-Cornered Hat, 1958
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite engraving by Salvador Dali (1904–1989), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the folio Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornered Hat), originates from the 1958 edition published b...
Engraving
$1,996Sale Price|20% Off
Salvador Dali, Untitled, from The Three-Cornered Hat, 1958
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite engraving by Salvador Dali (1904–1989), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the folio Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornered Hat), originates from the 1958 edition published b...
Engraving
$1,996Sale Price|20% Off
Salvador Dali, Untitled, from The Three-Cornered Hat, 1958
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite engraving by Salvador Dali (1904–1989), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the folio Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornered Hat), originates from the 1958 edition published b...
Engraving
$1,996Sale Price|20% Off
Salvador Dali, Untitled, from The Three-Cornered Hat, 1958
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite engraving by Salvador Dali (1904–1989), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the folio Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornered Hat), originates from the 1958 edition published b...
Engraving
RENÉ MAGRITTE Le Maître d'École - 1955 Limited edition Lithograph - Surrealism
Located in Madrid, Madrid
LE MAÎTRE D'ÉCOLE, 1955 (THE SCHOOLMASTER) Date of creation: 2010 Medium: Lithograph on BFK Rives Paper Edition: 275 Size: 60 x 45 cm Observations: Lithograph on BFK Rives paper plat...
Lithograph
Lucky Road - Abstract Large Scale Lively Geometric 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
(after) Marino Marini - "Jongleur" 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 1/4 inches (130 x 80 mm)...
Lithograph, Stencil
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Flower Pot 6 - 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
Jorge Castillo - EROTIC COMPOSITION Etching on paper Spanish Surrealism
Located in Madrid, Madrid
Jorge Castillo - COMPOSICIÓN ERÓTICA (Erotic Composition) Date of creation: 1977 Medium: Etching on paper Edition: 75 + 20 E.A. Size: 50 x 65,5 cm Condition: In perfect conditions an...
Engraving, Etching
(after) Marino Marini - "Jongleur et deux chevaux" 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 3/8 inches (130 x 85 mm)...
Lithograph, Stencil
$1,800
Walking Creature: Contemporary Surreal Figurative Abstract, 2005
Located in Soquel, CA
Walking Creature, Contemporary Surreal Figurative Abstract by Michael William Eggleston Bold and imaginative contemporary figurative abstract by San Francisco artist Michael William...
Oil, Board
$1,880Sale Price|20% Off
Where Am I? - 21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Nature, Boy Child
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Where am I?" is a piece that delves into themes of identity, place, and imagination. These dream-like and imaginative scenes create a fantastical atmosphere, inviting viewers to exp...
Acrylic, Canvas
The Cliche, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Mr. and Mrs. Anderson commissioned a formal family portrait, insisting their beloved pet elephant, Elbert, be included. Elbert is family, after all. When the co...
Oil
$716Sale Price|20% Off
Wifredo Lam, Untitled, from Ediciones Poligrafa, 1979
By Wifredo Lam
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph by Wifredo Lam (1902–1982), titled Sin titulo (Untitled), from the album Ediciones Poligrafa, Barcelona - Redfern Gallery, London, originates from the 1979 ...
Lithograph
Tea Rex, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A surreal scene unfolds at a genteel afternoon tea, where women in period clothing share stories with an unexpected dinosaur companion. Something about the mome...
Oil
$1,440Sale Price|40% Off
Malabaristas Parapsicológicos Giclée Print, Surrealist, Framed, 2010+
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
Artist and designer Pedro Friedeberg is known for his surrealist paintings, prints, and sculptural furniture. He was the subject of a 2009 retrospective at the Museo del Palacio de B...
Giclée
Pair of Surreal Miniature Wooden Hand and Foot Chair Sculptures
Located in Houston, TX
Dimensions listed are for each individual hand and the price is for the pair. Artist Biography: Artist and designer Pedro Friedeberg is known for his surrealist paintings, prints, a...
Wood
Mathias en Cuernavaca Serigraph, Surrealist, Framed, 1974
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
-Pedro Friedeberg signed print featuring a fantastical surrealistic scene. Includes whimsical figures, optical art elements, and surreal details. framed in a hand-painted black and g...
Paper, Screen
$1,996Sale Price|20% Off
Salvador Dali, Untitled, from The Three-Cornered Hat, 1958
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite engraving by Salvador Dali (1904–1989), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the folio Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornered Hat), originates from the 1958 edition published b...
Engraving
Rene Magritte 'Empire of Light, from the Venice Guggenheim Surrealist
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This reproduction of the Magritte painting is the only authorized and approved copy in its current format. It has been sanctioned by the appropriate authorities managing Magritte’s e...
Offset
$244Sale Price|50% Off
Untitled Composition (Poligrafa, Redfern, Figurative, Surreal, 50% OFF MUST GO)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Jorge Castillo Untitled Composition from "Ediciones Poligrafa, Barcelona at Redfern Gallery, London" Original Color Lithograph Year: 1979 Size: 10 x 7.325 inches (25.4 × 18.61 cm) Ed...
Lithograph
Large, Unique Abstract Surrealist Oil Painting in the Chicago Imagist Tradition
Located in Chicago, IL
A Unique, Unusual and Striking Abstract Surrealist Painting Completed in the Chicago Imagist Tradition by Notable Artist, Stanley Dean Edwards (Am. Born 1941). Titled "The Last Livi...
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Oil
Poèmes, Planche IX
By Marc Chagall
Located in OPOLE, PL
Marc Chagall (1887-1985) - Poèmes, Planche IX Woodcut print from 1968. An unnumbered and unsigned impression from the total edition of 238; this impression is on Japon paper, one o...
Woodcut
$95Sale Price|40% Off
Untitled Composition (Poligrafa, Redfern, Cuban Surrealism, Symbolism, ~40% OFF)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Jorge Camacho Untitled Composition from "Ediciones Poligrafa, Barcelona at Redfern Gallery, London" Original Color Lithograph Year: 1979 Edition: 100 Size: 10 x 7.325 inches (25.4 ×...
Lithograph
$1,435
Surrealist Boat (Vaisseau fantome) - Original handsigned etching - (Field #69-7)
Located in Paris, IDF
Salvador DALI Surrealist Boat (Vaisseau fantome), 1969 Original etching Handsigned in pencil Numbered /200 on Rives BFK vellum 58 x 45 cm (c. 23 x 18 in) REFERENCE : - Catalog rai...
Drypoint
(after) Marino Marini - "Cheval sur fond noir" 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 1/2 inches (130 x 90 mm)...
Lithograph, Stencil
Espriu - Miró II
By Joan Miró
Located in OPOLE, PL
Joan Miro (1893-1983) - Espriu - Miró II Etching and aquatint with carborundum from 1975. The edition of 15/50 on on Guarro paper with Sala Gaspar watermark. Dimensions of work: 70.3 x 85.7 cm. Hand signed. Publisher: Sala Gaspar, Barcelona. Reference: Dupin 870; Cramer 197. The work is in Good condition. -- Joan Miró’s Espriu...
Aquatint
Untitled - Lithograph by Wifredo Lam - 1970s
By Wifredo Lam
Located in Roma, IT
Modern artwork realized by Wifredo Lam in 1970s. Colored lithograph on paper. Hand monogrammed in the right lower margin with original dry stamp by Galleria Nuovo Sagittario, Milan...
Lithograph
RENÉ MAGRITTE - LA RECONNAISSANCE INFINIE Limited edition Lithograph. Surrealism
Located in Madrid, Madrid
LA RECONNAISSANCE INFINIE (THE INFINITE RECOGNITION, 1963) Date of creation: 2010 Medium: Lithograph on BFK Rives Paper Edition number: 147/275 Size: 60 x 45 cm Observations: Lithogr...
Lithograph
$4,275
Confident Figure - Original Figurative Abstract Man in Purple Suit on Blue Wall
By Iqi Qoror
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Iqi Qoror's surreal figurative paintings are arresting in their earthy palettes offset by pops of fluorescent textile embroidery. His artworks revolve around questions of trust, inte...
Wool, Canvas, Thread, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Cat and Bird at the Sunset - Original Handsigned Lithograph
By Corneille
Located in Paris, IDF
Guillaume Corneille (1922-2010) Cat and Bird at the Sunset, 1991 Original color lithograph Signed and dated in pencil Artist proof On vellum, 53 x 76 cm (c. 21 x 30 in) Very good ...
Lithograph
Untitled - Lithograph by Wifredo Lam - 1970s
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
Chevalier Surrealiste, Signed Surrealist Lithograph by Salvador Dali
Located in Long Island City, NY
An original hand-signed and numbered Dali lithograph entitled "Chevalier Surrealiste". A rare example that it accompanied with the original fo...
Lithograph
$3,950
Hommage a Homere Helen of Troy Hand Signed Numbered Dali Archive Certified
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Hommage a Homere Helen of Troy MEDIUM: Etching SIGNED: Hand Signed by Salvador Dali PUBLISHER: Levine & Levine for Peterson Fine Art/Diversified Edi...
Etching
Strategy
Located in Zofingen, AG
Strategy (series “1000 and 1 Night”) In this work, the theme of falling in love shifts into the realm of power and control. The space is constructed like a game board, where movement...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,196Sale Price|20% Off
Joan Miro, Blue II, from Miro 1959–1960, 1961 (after)
By Joan Miró
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Bleu II (Blue II), from the album Miro 1959–1960 (Miro 1959–1960), originates from the 1961 edition publishe...
Lithograph
"The Moon" original lithograph
By André Masson
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Printed in 1938 and published in Paris by Teriade for the art revue Verve (volume 1, number 2). Andre Masson was invited to contribute an original compos...
Lithograph
$800Sale Price|20% Off
"Picador" 1966 Experimental Surrealist Composition
Located in Soquel, CA
"Picador" 1966 Experimental Surrealist Composition Intriguing mixed-media piece by prominent California artist Morris Broderson (b. 1928 d. 2011.) A picador sits upon his horse, hol...
Paper, Watercolor, Graphite, Pinhole, Color Pencil
$365
"Hybrid Butterfly 44" (2025), Abstracted Butterfly Portrait, Acrylic Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Artist Statement: My paintings are channeled, Visual Dreamscapes in connection with Unseen Frequencies of the Universe. My exploration of the surreal investigates the mysteries of t...
Wood, Acrylic, Panel
Pegasus, Surrealist Etching by Andre Masson
By André Masson
Located in Long Island City, NY
This striking etching by Andre Masson from circa 1970 depicts the mythological Pegasus through the lens of Surrealist Figurative art and classical symbolism. Masson’s interpretation ...
Etching
Jeune fille
Located in OPOLE, PL
Henri Matisse (1869-1954) - Jeune fille Photogravure from 1937. Dimensions of work: 35.5 x 26.4 cm Publisher: Tériade, Paris. The work is in Excellent condition. Fast and secure...
Photogravure
Island. Women's Sculpture Head, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Guigen Zha presents a stylized portrait of a woman’s head, adorned with floral and tree-like elements against a backdrop of blue sky, moon, and seascap...
Acrylic
$796Sale Price|20% Off
Joan Miro, Untitled, from Derriere le miroir, 1967
By Joan Miró
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1967 folio Derriere le miroir, L'oiseau solaire, l'oiseau lunaire, etin-celles (...
Lithograph
Red Composition, Preface to 52 Affiches - Original Lithograph (Cramer #84)
By Joan Miró
Located in Paris, IDF
Joan MIRO Red Composition, Preface to 52 Affiches, 1963 Original lithograph in colors (Atelier Mourlot, Paris) Signed in pencil by Fernand Mourlot Dated in pencil Numbered on / 125 ...
Lithograph
$244Sale Price|50% Off
Litografia Original VI (Abstract, Modern, Surrealism, 50% OFF - MUST GO)
By Joan Miró
Located in Kansas City, MO
Joan Miró Litografia Original VI Color Lithograph Year: 1975 Size: 13.25 × 10 inches (33.65 x 25.4 cm) Catalogue Raisonné: Queneau, Miro Lithographe II, 1952-1963, p.35 Publisher: Ma...
Lithograph
Femme Bleue
Located in OPOLE, PL
Henri Matisse (1869-1954) - Femme Bleue Lithograph from 1958. Dimensions of work: 35.5 x 26.4 cm. Publisher: Tériade, Paris. First, original edition. The work is in Excellent co...
Lithograph
$3,996Sale Price|20% Off
Rene Magritte, Gemstones, 1968 (after)
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph after Rene Magritte (1898–1967), titled Pierreries (Gemstones), from the folio Les Enfants Trouves de Magritte (The Found Children of Magritte), 1968, origi...
Lithograph
TIE Fighter Beatles Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition
By BATIK
Located in London, GB
TIE Fighter Beatles by B A T I K Pop art work featuring the Fab Four Paul McCartney , George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon running away from Star Wars TIE fighters chasing...
Black and White, Archival Pigment
The Spilt, Oil Painting
By Kat Silver
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A surrealist painting captures the tension between prey and predator. In the foreground, a rabbit stands wary while a fox snarls nearby. Others of their kind sc...
Oil
$1,280Sale Price|20% Off
Códice Miguelito III, Surrealist Style, Framed, 2010+
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
-Pedro Friedeberg signed print featuring a fantastical architectural scene inspired by “Mickey”. Includes whimsical figures, optical art elements, and surreal details. framed in a ha...
Giclée
Hell 22 - The Liars - Original Woodcut 1963 (Field p 189 à 200)
Located in Paris, IDF
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) Hell 22 - The Liars, 1963 Wood engraving from "Divine Comedy" with the signature printed in the plate On BFK Rives vellum 32,8 x 26,4 cm (c. 13 x 10") REF...
Woodcut
$1,100
A Unique, Enigmatic Modern Surrealist City Interior Scene with Figure Profile
Located in Chicago, IL
A Unique, Unusual Surrealist Interior Scene with Abstracted Figure by Notable Chicago Modern Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Depicting an abstract city apartment interior wit...
Oil, Board
Casanova : Birdy on the Tongue - Original etching (Field #67-4 F)
Located in Paris, IDF
Salvador DALI (1904-1969) Casanova : Birdy on the Tongue, 1967 Original etching Printed signature in the plate On Rives vellum 38 x 28 cm (c. 14.9 x 11 inch) REFERENCES : - Catalog...
Etching
$1,120Sale Price|30% Off
Códice Miguelito III Giclée Print, Surrealist Style, Framed, 2010+
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
-Pedro Friedeberg signed print featuring a fantastical architectural scene inspired by “Mickey”. Includes whimsical figures, optical art elements, and surreal details. framed in a ha...
Giclée
With a solo show at the Denver Art Museum and a commission from the Met, the Cree Canadian painter has become an international sensation.
Gallerists Douglas Gold and Eli Sterngass tell us how they uncover lost treasures by stellar artists from the past 160 years.
The eccentric artist's abode is a veritable cabinet of curiosities.
What he says may inspire you to pick up a paintbrush.