Roberto Matta Art
Chilean, 1911-2002
“The function of art,” the Surrealist Roberto Matta once stated, “is to unveil the enormous economic, cultural and emotional forces that materially interact in our lives and that constitute the real space in which we live.” In his paintings, Matta sought to expose those forces through the Surrealist practice of automatism, creating work in a free-associative state intended to conjure the unconscious.
After studying architecture in his native Chile, Matta, then 22, chose to pursue the field in Paris, where he mingled with stars of the avant-garde like Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dalí and Walter Gropius. In the late 1930s, he abandoned Paris, together with his job at Le Corbusier’s studio and (for a time) his career, for modern art’s new epicenter, New York City. There, he became a colleague of art legends like Marcel Duchamp and Arshile Gorky.
Although celebrated primarily for his work as a painter, Matta was an equally talented furniture designer. His furniture pieces, like his artworks, are the stuff of dreams. The back of his totem chair, for example, is composed of smiling, cartoonish creatures stacked on top of each other. In his MAgriTTA armchair, the top half of a plush green apple sticks out of large black bowler in homage to its namesake, the Belgian Surrealist René Magritte.
But perhaps the piece that most truly embodies his artistic philosophy is his 1966 Mallite modular system: a collection of spongy, undulating sofas and lounges that can be fitted together to form a puzzle-like room divider. The work, an original edition of which is in MoMA’s permanent collection, has in recent decades been a hard-to-find collectors’ item — until 2019, when Italian design brand Paradisoterrestre issued a reedition, available through Duplex.
Browse Roberto Matta's paintings and furniture designs on 1stDibs.
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Artist: Roberto Matta
Dealer: RoGallery
Nymphee, Surrealist Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
"Nymphee" is a colorful Roberto Matta etching from his Requiem pour la Fin des Temps suite. The print is signed and numbered (44/100) in pencil w...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Sans Titre, Surrealist Lithograph by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
This raucous scene by Latin American Surrealist Roberto Matta shows leaping nude figures flying through the air above what look like boulders. Their bodies are warped and stretched a...
Category
1960s Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Lithograph
Cosmicstrip I, Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Cosmicstrip I by Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911–2002)
Date: 1959
Etching, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition of 21/50
Image Size: 14.75 x 19.25 inches
Frame Size: 23.75 x 28 inches
...
Category
1950s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
La Source du Calme
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: La Source du Calme
Year: 2002
Medium: Carborundum Etching on Hand-Made Paper, signed and numbered in marker
Edition: 125, XXXV
Pap...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Handmade Paper, Etching
La Une a L'h Pile (Head to Head), Surrealist Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
An early large-scale work by Chilean artist Roberto Matta. In this black-and-white surrealist piece, various figures can be seen in various acts. Signed and numbered in pencil. This edition is not from the Arabic numbered edition of 40.
La Une a L’h Pile (Head to...
Category
1960s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Cosmicstrip III, Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Cosmicstrip III by Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911–2002)
Date: 1959
Etching, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition of 21/50
Image Size: 14.75 x 19.25 inches
Frame Size: 23.75 x 28 inche...
Category
1950s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Aquatint, Etching
Comique Trippe VII
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Comique Trippe VII by Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911–2002)
Date: 1974
Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition of 56/60
Image Size: 12.25 x 17.25 inches
Size: 16.25 x 20.5 in....
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Lithograph
Untitled 9 from Hom'mere V - N'ous, Surrealist Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta (Chilean, 1911 - 2002)
Title: Untitled 9
Portfolio: Hom'mere V - N'ous
Date: 1985
Medium: Etching and aquatint, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 29/100
Im...
Category
1980s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Comique Trippe XVI
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Comique Trippe XVI by Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911–2002)
Date: 1974
Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition of 56/60
Image Size: 12.25 x 17.25 inches
Size: 16.25 x 20.5 in....
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Lithograph
La Source du Calme
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: La Source du Calme
Year: 2002
Medium: Carborundum Etching on Hand-Made Paper, signed and numbered in mark...
Category
Early 2000s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Handmade Paper, Etching
Cosmicstrip IV, Surrealist Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Cosmicstrip IV by Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911–2002)
Date: 1959
Etching, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition of 21/50
Image Size: 14.75 x 19.25 inches
Frame Size: 23.75 x 28 inches...
Category
1950s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
La Dulce Aqua Vita
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: La Dulce Aqua Vita
Year: 2002
Medium: Carborundum Etching on Hand-Made Paper, signed and numbered in marker
Edition: XXVI/XXXV
Pap...
Category
Early 2000s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Handmade Paper, Etching
Felicor, Terracotta Wall Sculpture by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Felicor by Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911–2002)
Terracotta Wall Plaque, signature inscribed, numbered in ink
Edition of 49/150
Size: 15 x 12.75 x 2.25 in. (38.1 x 32.39 x 5.72 cm)
Fram...
Category
1980s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Terracotta
Espace de l'Espece, Surrealist Lithograph by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
This lithograph was created by Chilean artist Roberto Matta. Matta creates new dimensions in a blend of organic and cosmic lifeforms in a biomorphic style. He was one of the first ar...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Lithograph
10PM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures, Surrealist Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: 10 PM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures
Year: 1975
Medium: Aquatint Etching, Signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 125, XXXIII
Image S...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Untitled 6 from Hom'mere V - N'ous Portfolio, Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta (Chilean, 1911 - 2002)
Title: Untitled 6
Portfolio: Hom'mere V - N'ous
Date: 1985
Medium: Etching and aquatint, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 29/100
Im...
Category
1980s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Ancien Victorieux je te morphose from Hom'mere I (Chaosmos) by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: Ancien Victorieux Je te morphose from Hom'mere (Chaosmos)
Year: 1974
Medium: Etching with Aquatint on Arches, Signed and Numbered ...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Untitled 3 from Hom'mere V - N'ous Portfolio, Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta (Chilean, 1911 - 2002)
Title: Untitled 3
Portfolio: Hom'mere V - N'ous
Date: 1985
Medium: Etching and aquatint, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 29/100
Im...
Category
1980s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Untitled 5 from Hom'mere V - N'ous Portfolio, Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta (Chilean, 1911 - 2002)
Title: Untitled 5
Portfolio: Hom'mere V - N'ous
Date: 1985
Medium: Etching and aquatint, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 29/100
Im...
Category
1980s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
L'ergofrage (Naufrage du Titanic), Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta
Title: L'ergofrage (Naufrage du Titanic) from Hom'mere III - L'Ergonaute
Date: 1976-77
Medium: Aquatint etching on Japon, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Les Venusiennes (II) from Fog Gog Magog Planche 3, Lithograph by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: Les Venusiennes (II) - Fog Ma Gog Planche 3
Year: 1971
Medium: Lithograph on Arches, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 47/100...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Lithograph
Les naufrageants from Hom'mere II - L'Eautre, Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: Les naufrageants from Hom'mere II - L'Eautre
Year: 1974-75
Medium: Aquatint Etching on Japon, Signed and numbered in pencil
Editio...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Aquatint, Etching
La Dulce Aqua Vita
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: La Dulce Aqua Vita
Year: 2002
Medium: Carborundum Etching on Hand-Made Paper, signed and numbered in marker
Edition: 125, XXXV
Pap...
Category
Early 2000s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Handmade Paper
10 AM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: 10 AM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures
Year: 1975
Medium: Aquatint Etching, Signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 125
Image Size: 19....
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Aquatint, Etching
8 AM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures, Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: 8 AM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures
Year: 1975
Medium: Aquatint Etching on Arches, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 125, XXXII...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
L'eau est Mana, Surrealist Lithograph by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta
Title: L'eau est Mana
Year: 1974
Medium: Lithograph on Arches, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 200
Size: 21.5 x 30 inches (54.61 x 76.2 cm)
Frame...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Lithograph
8PM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures, Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: 8 PM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures
Year: 1975
Medium: Aquatint Etching, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 125, XXXIII
Image Si...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Aquatint, Etching
4 AM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures, Abstract Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: 4 AM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures
Year: 1975
Medium: Aquatint Etching, Signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: XXXI/XXXIII
Image Si...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Aquatint, Etching
2 AM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures, Surrealist Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: 2 AM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures
Year: 1975
Medium: Aquatint Etching, Signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: XXXI/XXXIII
Image Si...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Aquatint, Etching
Il Albero Giovanne
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: Il Albero Giovanne
Year: 2002
Medium: Carborundum Etching on Hand-Made Paper, signed and numbered in marker
Edition: 125, XXXV
Pap...
Category
Early 2000s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Handmade Paper, Etching
Centre Noeuds, Suite of 10 Aquatint Etchings by Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Portfolio: Centre Neouds
Year: 1974
Medium: Suite of 10 Aquatint Etchings on Japon paper, each signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 12...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Epaisser de haut-mer from Hom'mere II - L'Eautre, Aquatint Etching by Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: Epaisser de haut-mer from Hom'mere II - L'Eautre
Year: 1974-75
Medium: Aquatint Etching on Japon, Signed and numbered in pencil
Ed...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Porol-Vua, Surreal Lithograph by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: Porol-Vua
Year: 1978
Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 97/100
Image Size: 20 x 28.5 inches
Size: 22...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Lithograph
5PM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: 5PM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures
Year: 1975
Medium: Aquatint Etching, Signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 125, XXXIII
Image Siz...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
La Danse de la Mort, Suite of 8 Aquatint Etchings by Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: La Danse de la Mort - Planche 1-8
Year: 1972
Medium: Suite of 8 Aquatint Etchings, Each Signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 41/...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
L'ame du Tarot de Theleme Portfolio of 5 Aquatint Etchings by Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta
Portfolio: L'ame du Tarot de Theleme
Year: 1994
Medium: Portfolio of Five Aquatint Etchings, each signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 100, XX
Image Size: 19....
Category
1990s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Aquatint, Etching
12 AM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures, Surrealist Aquatint Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911 - 2002)
Title: 12 AM from L'Arc Obscur des Heures
Year: 1975
Medium: Aquatint Etching, Signed and numbered in pencil
Edition: 51/125, XXXIII
...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Centre Noeuds Portfolio, Suite of 10 Aquatint Etchings
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
These works express the influence of the collective subconscious icons, South American & popular culture, and psycho-sexuality. Their undeniable beauty keeps the eye engaged in visua...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching, Aquatint
Droites Liberees V, Etching by Roberto Matta
By Roberto Matta
Located in Long Island City, NY
Droites Liberees V
Roberto Matta, Chilean (1911–2002)
Date: 1971
Etching, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition of 16/100
Image Size: 8.75 x 6 inches
Frame Size: 19.5 x 17 inches
Pub...
Category
1970s Surrealist Roberto Matta Art
Materials
Etching
Roberto Matta art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Roberto Matta art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of blue, green, purple and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Roberto Matta in etching, aquatint, lithograph and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Surrealist style. Not every interior allows for large Roberto Matta art, so small editions measuring 7 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Leonor Fini, André Masson, and Man Ray. Roberto Matta art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $200 and tops out at $127,935, while the average work can sell for $2,400.
Artists Similar to Roberto Matta
Questions About Roberto Matta Art
- Who is the artist Matta?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Chilean artist Roberto Matta is sometimes referred to simply as “Matta.” One of Chile’s most famous artists, Matta is best known for his contributions to surrealist and expressionist painting during the 20th century. Shop a collection of authentic Roberto Matta pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Chilean-born Roberto Matta is a modern art painter primarily known for his work in blending surrealism with abstract expressionism. You can shop a selection of expertly vetted Fairfield Porter pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Roberto Matta is a painter who became a noted part of the Surrealist movement. Born Roberto Antonio Sebastian Matta Echaurren in 1922 in Santiago, Chile, the artist began his professional life as an architect and slowly switched to painting. His work often featured complex biomorphic forms in disturbing settings, making him an important influence in the post World War II era. Shop a selection of Roberto Matta pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.