Surrealist Paintings
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.
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
Artist Comments
The artwork reflects on the abundance of wildlife in Florida and the constant struggle humans face in controlling nature. Dominating the scene, a giant egret hovers over houses while alligators lurk in the water, signifying the untamable wildness of the environment.
About the Artist
Artist Kat Silver paints surrealist compositions with a whimsical and satirical approach. She draws inspiration from the imagery of her dreams and the symbolisms present in her surroundings. The image of the rabbit has become an important character and signature in Kat's work. For her, they represent power and taking control of one's life. Through her art, she invites the viewer to question the mundanity of daily existence and embrace the magic within them. "I believe human beings have a lot we can learn from nature," says Kat. "If we watch and listen to the earth and all its creatures, we can learn to fully enjoy our lives instead of being caught up in materialism, drama, and stress." Kat started to paint when she was seven years old, with her uncle as her teacher. She received her BA in Painting at Nazareth College in 2001 and succeedingly studied at Drexel University in Philadelphia, where she mastered Art Therapy. Kat works in her home studio on a small desk strewn with supplies—surrounded by walls adorned with artwork that inspires her. Beyond her studio, Kat feeds her soul in nature, exploring wooded parks, forests, oceans, and streams. She often goes to antique shops to spark her creativity.
Words that describe this painting: Florida, wildlife, swamp, surreal, surrealism...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
C Print, Paper, Color, Digital, Laser
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Paint, Mixed Media, Archival Paper, Pen
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Paint, Mixed Media, Archival Paper, Pen
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Gold Leaf
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1940s Surrealist Paintings
Oil, Linen
1960s Surrealist Paintings
Paper, Oil
1960s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Wood, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
1910s Surrealist Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Glitter, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Rachel Srinivasan presents a surreal image of a white bison standing in the middle of 10 swords—nominative to its corresponding card from the tarot d...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
1980s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Surrealist Paintings
Lithograph
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Tempera, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
Artist Comments
Artist Guigen Zha paints red lotus flowers under the shining sun. Square blocks of gradient color fill the fragmented scene. He pain...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
1990s Surrealist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1990s Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic, Illustration Board, Foam Board
1990s Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
"Figures move through a surreal landscape occupied by elements from the city and the countryside," explains artist Michael Wedge. Michael creates a curious juxtaposition of everyday city street life and sprawling nature. People move about as if through normal traffic, with a yellow taxi...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Paper, Ink, Pen
Artist Comments
The bison and the beetle have a prehistoric elegance about them that I thought would compliment each other perfectly. Symbolically, both represent life and mortality, which has been on my mind lately. To Native Americans, bison are symbolic of sacred life and abundance. And in ancient greek mythology the beetle became revered as a symbol of rebirth and immortality -- its daily journey across the sky became an allegory of human life. The Wallpaper collection is a juxtaposition of masculine meets feminine. I wanted to create a unique series that stands apart from traditional nature paintings, where the wild and somewhat prehistoric aspects of my animals featured contrast against their delicate backdrops. In addition to this, many of my paintings are created with a little bit of underlying symbolism usually sparked from a world event or life moment that I am experiencing. I concentrate on this theme as a therapeutic mantra throughout the creation of the painting. For each painting, different techniques and layers of design are implemented when creating the wall paper effect. To keep the patterns consistent I create a stencil to outline the shapes of my hummingbirds, bugs and fish, and then I hand paint each shape individually. In the areas where I wanted a little more chaos, I would forgo the stencil and eyeball each design. My animals are always painted first, and then I layout the design around them.
About the Artist
Australian-born Alana Clumeck...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Surrealist Paintings
Gold Leaf
1990s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A mystical figure emerges from the divide of light and darkness. In this ethereal piece by artist Naoko Paluszak, the entity appears to be made of the same energy as where it came from. Naoko created both color balance and a robust contrasting composition that evokes strong emotion. Part of Naoko's signature Who Are These Angels series...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Paintings
Oil
Early 2000s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Linen, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Acrylic
1950s Surrealist Paintings
Oil
1960s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
