Surrealist Art
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Archival Ink, Rag Paper, Giclée
1960s Surrealist Art
Paper, Ink, Aquatint, Etching
Early 2000s Surrealist Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Giclée
2010s Surrealist Art
Oil
1970s Surrealist Art
Lithograph
Artist Comments
Drawing inspiration from her move from the Midwest to Florida, artist Kat Ailver paints a whimsical blend of seahorses and bunnies. The different shades of peac...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A mesmerizing underwater scene comes to life where an enchanting mix of sea creatures, humans, and scuba bunnies coexist in perfect harmony. The submerged world...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Inspired by her relocation from the Midwest to Florida, artist Kit Silver paints a whimsical fusion of seahorses and bunnies. The warm hues and intricate detail...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Oil
2010s Surrealist Art
Oil
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 Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A whimsical scene unfolds as a group of ibis birds roam the lawns of the St. Petersburg neighborhood in Florida. Meanwhile, bunnies residing in the houses watch as the giant birds...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Oil
2010s Surrealist Art
Paper, Color
2010s Surrealist Art
Paper, Pastel
2010s Surrealist Art
Paper, Color
1970s Surrealist Art
Etching
1920s Surrealist Art
Paper
1920s Surrealist Art
Paper
1920s Surrealist Art
Paper
Artist Comments
Artist Diane Flick presents a glimpse into someone else's image of utopia. "Colonel Picklebottom's otherworldly dream persists only to exist," says Diane. In th...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Oil
1970s Surrealist Art
Varnish, Color, Screen, Stencil
2010s Surrealist Art
Paper, Color
Artist Comments
In this piece, artist Julia Hacker creates a whimsical and vivid dreamscape of a desert. "It invites you to lose yourself in its charming portrayal of nature," ...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Oil
2010s Surrealist Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Surrealist Art
Color, Paper
2010s Surrealist Art
Paper, Color
2010s Surrealist Art
Paper, Color
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Archival Ink, Rag Paper, Giclée
2010s Surrealist Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Surrealist Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Surrealist Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Surrealist Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Surrealist Art
Photographic Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Archival Ink, Rag Paper, Giclée
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Archival Ink, Rag Paper, Giclée
1970s Surrealist Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Giclée
1990s Surrealist Art
Acrylic, Paper
2010s Surrealist Art
Acrylic
1980s Surrealist Art
Oil, Canvas
2010s Surrealist Art
Oil, Panel
2010s Surrealist Art
Wood Panel, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Giclée
2010s Surrealist Art
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Giclée
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Giclée
2010s Surrealist Art
Paper, Color
1980s Surrealist Art
Ink
2010s Surrealist Art
Panel, Oil
Late 20th Century Surrealist Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art
Oil, Canvas
1970s Surrealist Art
Mixed Media, Lithograph
