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Surrealist Figurative Paintings

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
"Cowpoke" Grackle Bird with Cowboy Hat Oil Painting by Christy Stallop
Located in Denver, CO
Christy Stallop's (US based) "Cowpoke" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a grackle bird wearing a cowboy hat. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY Christy Stallop is an artist living i...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

'Story Time', Paris, Salon d'Automne, New York, ASL, Corcoran, PAFA, Art Deco
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower left 'Nura' for Nura Woodson Ulreich (American, 1899–1950). Additionally signed, verso, dated March 1928 with artist's New York City ...
Category

1920s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Illustration Board

"Me and you walking on the brick path" surrealistic seascape, mother & daughter
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Me and you walking on the brick path" is a glowing oil painting surrealistic seascape with mother (artist) & daughter walking down a brick path on water receding into the distance i...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel, Wood Panel

Totemic Arhat - Surreal Buddhist Figure of Enlightenment, Acrylic on Panel
Located in Chicago, IL
Oliver Hazard Benson Totemic Arhat acrylic on panel 9h x 7w in 22.86h x 17.78w cm OB0111 Oliver Hazard’s paintings are produced directly from his imagination and deals with a mixtur...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Panel, Acrylic

Hand of Ishmael, Large Original 1997 Etching, Yellow, Blue, Black, Red
Located in Denver, CO
Hand of Ishmael by Tony Fitzpatrick (born 1958). An original aquatint etching with Chine-collé. Design elements include a hand with red nails and numerous tattoos, birds, celestial...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Aquatint

"Portrait of a Horse (Pool with Two Figures)" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Shelli Langdale's "Portrait of a Horse (Pool with Two Figures)" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a white horse standing at the ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Panel, Oil

"Humble Abode" by Patrick Maxcy, Acrylic Painting, Sea Turtle
Located in Denver, CO
Patrick Maxcy's "Humble Abode" is an original, handmade acrylic painting that depicts a sea turtle perched on coral carrying an elaborate tiny house on his back with a cloudy sky. T...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

VENICE COLLECTION (PICASSO)
Located in Aventura, FL
Original painting on canvas. Hand signed lower front by Ferjo. Image size 50 x 70 inches. Canvas is not stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of authenticity i...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Bundle Up" Grackle Bird with Colorful Scarf Oil Painting by Christy Stallop
Located in Denver, CO
Christy Stallop's (US based) "Bundle Up" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a grackle bird wearing a colorful scarf. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY Christy Stallop is an artist l...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

"Standing Tall" Grackle Bird w/Red Handkerchief Oil Painting by Christy Stallop
Located in Denver, CO
Christy Stallop's (US based) "Standing Tall" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a grackle bird wearing a red handkerchief. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY Christy Stallop is an ar...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

"Southwest Charmer" Grackle Bird Silver Necklace Oil Painting by Christy Stallop
Located in Denver, CO
Christy Stallop's (US based) "Southwest Charmer" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a grackle bird wearing a silver southwestern necklace. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY Christy S...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

"Luchador Enmascarado" Grackle Bird Oil Painting by Christy Stallop
Located in Denver, CO
Christy Stallop's (US based) "Luchador Enmascarado" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a grackle bird wearing a blue and red mask. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY Christy Stallop ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

"Luchador Misterioso" Grackle Bird Oil Painting by Christy Stallop
Located in Denver, CO
Christy Stallop's (US based) "Luchador Misterioso" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a grackle bird wearing a blue and white mask. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY Christy Stallop...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

"Goucho" Grackle Bird with Cowboy Hat Oil Painting by Christy Stallop
Located in Denver, CO
Christy Stallop's (US based) "Goucho" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a grackle bird wearing a cowboy hat adorned with a feather. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY Christy Stallo...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

"Just Outside" by Patrick Maxcy, Acrylic Painting, Blue Fish
Located in Denver, CO
Patrick Maxcy's "Just Outside" is an original, handmade acrylic painting that depicts an oversized blue fish next to a tiny house perched on a rock. About the Artist: Nature, anima...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Italian Pop Art Mixed Media Surrealist Painting Collage Gouache Emilio Tadini
Located in Surfside, FL
Emilio Tadini (1927-2002) Original Collage, Gouache and Watercolor painting. Dimensions: 41 X 29.5. framed. 39.75 X 28 artwork Emilio Tadini (1927 – 2002 ) was an Italian painter,...
Category

20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paint, Paper, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Gouache

Arrigo Ghedini Don Quixote and Sancho Panza
Located in San Francisco, CA
Arrigo Ghedini: 1905-1997. Listed Italian, American artist who is highly collected. His paintings rarely become available on the open market as collectors hold onto them. He just had...
Category

1970s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Enamel

"Milky Way" contemporary surrealist, ethereal multi-figurative oil painting
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Milky Way" is a contemporary surrealist and ethereal multi-figurative oil painting by Italian artist, Daniela Astone. Astone's latest work centers around figures floating in ether...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

La Princesa
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"LA PRINCESA" OIL AND ACRILIC ON CANVAS SIGNED, 2013 EXHIBITED MUSEO DEL BANCO CENTRAL DE COSTA RICA 43.5 x 35.25 INCHES Sofía Ruiz was born in 1982. What she expresses throug...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Emigrant in Salvador de Bahia Brazil acrylic on board painting picasso style
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gustavo Úbeda (1930-1994) - Emigrant in Salvador de Bahia Brazil- Acrylic panel Acrylic measurements 81x100 cm. Frameless. The painting by Gustavo Úbeda Romero (Herencia, 1930 – Sao...
Category

1970s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Board

Release, female figure on cliff colorful birds in flight dreamlike imagery
Located in Brooklyn, NY
An oil on canvas from 2017 depicting a young lone woman standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking a deep green sea. She lifts her dress releasing hundreds of colorful birds into a ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Sunset Pines No.16-original surrealism landscape painting-contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
In “Sunset Pines No.16” Michael Sole masterfully captures the majestic beauty of nature from a unique perspective, inviting viewers to gaze upward at three towering pines reaching to...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Surrealist Large Painting Royal College of Art LGBTQ+ Female Ladybirds Trees
Located in Norfolk, GB
Isabel Rock is a creator of contemporary fairy tales. A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, her work is an explosion of strange occurrences while a surreal narrative take...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paint, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Pen

Alps no.61-original surrealism landscape painting-contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
In “Alps No.61,” Michael Sole transports viewers to the breathtaking heights of the mountains, capturing their majestic beauty with striking contrast and rich texture. This captivati...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Les deux moitiés" two figures floating through deep green and blue water
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Les deux moitiés" is a contemporary ethereal nude figures in green and blue water. Astone brought professional dancers into her studio and let them improvise as she painted them. Sh...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Late 20th Century Gouache and Watercolour on Paper. 'Greek Gods'.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Late 20th century gouache and watercolour on paper of a Roman-Graeco head and two figures by British artist Derek Carruthers. Signed bottom right and dated Feb 1986 to the reverse. ...
Category

1980s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache, Watercolor

"Sidekick" Grackle Bird with Red Handkerchief Oil Painting by Christy Stallop
Located in Denver, CO
Christy Stallop's "Sidekick" (2022) is an original oil painting on linen, measuring 14 x 11 inches. This striking portrait features a grackle adorned with a vibrant red bandana, set ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Cleaning Day (dog, snout, pug, lady, vintage, animal, surrealist oil painting)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
"Cleaning Day" by Rudolf Kosow offers a playful twist on the ordinary, infusing a routine activity with a sense of wonder. In this striking painting, a magnified pug’s face, with eve...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

English gold no.82-original figurative waterscape painting-contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
In "English Gold No.82," Michael Sole unveils a breathtaking masterpiece that transcends traditional boundaries, inviting viewers into a mesmerizing realm where the sea meets the sho...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

woman's paradise oil on canvas painting surrealist
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Felix Ferreras - Woman's Paradise - Oil on canvas Oil measurements 81x81 cm. Frameless. Félix Ferreras is a visual artist with numerous national and international awards and distinc...
Category

1990s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Changement (~47% OFF LIST PRICE, Oil Painting, Symbolist)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Stella Jae Changement 2024 Oil on Canvas Size: 26.06 x 31.04 inches (60 x 80cm) Signed by hand COA provided ---------- Tags: #StellaJRichey #VisualArtist #Designer #OilPainting #An...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Dancing Love" contemporary ethereal nude figures in green and blue water
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Dancing Love" is a contemporary painting of ethereal nude figures in green and blue water. Astone brought professional dancers into her studio and let them improvise as she painted ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Alps no4.-original surrealistic figurative waterscape painting-contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
In "Alps No.4," Michael Sole presents a captivating interpretation of the majestic Alps, where the convergence of land and sea gives rise to a breathtaking landscape that defies conv...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas, Oil

March gale no.31-original figurative waterscape painting-contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
In "March Gale No.31," Michael Sole captures the tumultuous energy of a powerful ocean storm, where swirling waves and shifting currents converge to create a mesmerizing tableau of m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Everyone a Memory - modern realism wildlife-still life surrealism painting
Located in London, Chelsea
Step into a dreamscape with this captivating original painting, a mesmerizing blend of surrealism and wildlife still life. Crafted with oil on canvas, it brings to life a scene that ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Cosmic Travelers - Visionary Psychedelic Composition on Wood Panel
Located in Soquel, CA
Cosmic Travelers - Visionary Psychedelic Composition on Wood Panel Surreal, psychedelic composition by an unknown artist (20th Century). The face on the left side of the composition...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Plywood, Acrylic

Driftwood & Fish, Mid-20th Century Magical Realism, Surrealist Cleveland Artist
Located in Beachwood, OH
Paul Riba (American, 1912-1977) Driftwood and Fish Oil on panel Signed lower right 9.25 x 23.5 inches 14 x 28.25 inches, framed Paul Riba was a painter of Magic Realism. He explore...
Category

20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Mid-20th Century Magical Realism, Surrealist Painting, Cleveland School Artist
Located in Beachwood, OH
Paul Riba (American, 1912-1977) Untitled Oil on panel Signed lower right 30 x 18 inches 39.25 x 27.25 inches, framed Paul Riba was a painter of Magic Realism. He explored the unrea...
Category

20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Hopeful (black labrador, dog pet, woman, vintage, animal, surrealist painting)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
In this moving piece by Rudolf Kosow, the canvas captures a tender and intimate moment between species. The focus is a deeply expressive black dog, portrayed with a level of detail t...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Tribe" Mother and Children Oil on Canvas Figurative Painting
Located in Lisboa, PT
Mother and Children - Oil on Canvas Figurative Painting, 2023 Artwork on supported wooden frame. Ready to hang. "A tribute to the spiritual and ancestral ties that bind us, with a vibrant undercurrent of shared human emotion. I intended to capture the essence of belongingness and familiar comfort that flows between family and friends, and bonded strangers." Tam Ess...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Surrealist Gouache and Watercolour on Paper, The Three Graces
Located in Cotignac, FR
Late 20th century surrealist gouache and watercolour on paper of The Three Graces by British artist Derek Carruthers. The painting is signed to the bottom right. An imposing and hig...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Paper, Gouache

Cuddly (black old dog, snout, lady, vintage, animal, surrealist oil painting)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
"Cuddly," a charming painting by Rudolf Kosow, depicts a tender and affectionate moment between a dog and its human companion. The dog’s face, with soulful eyes and a furrowed brow, ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Tramp (pet dog, beagle, troubadour guitare, animal portrait, surrealist painting
Located in Quebec, Quebec
"Tramp," by Rudolf Kosow, is a whimsical painting that delights in its surreal juxtaposition of scale and serenity. At the center is a beagle's face, depicted with lifelike detail an...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Changes" Oil on Canvas Figurative Painting
Located in Lisboa, PT
"Changes" Oil on Canvas Figurative Painting 2023 Artwork is on supported wooden frame. Ready to hang. Tam Ess makes oil paintings that explore the subconsciou...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

1970's Large French Surrealist Oil Painting Figures on the Beach
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Surrealist composition French School, dated 1975 verso oil on canvas, framed framed: 33.5 x 27 inches canvas: 32 x 25.5 inches inscribed verso provenance: private collection, France ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Sea Creatures Frolic" Oil on Canvas Figurative Painting
Located in Lisboa, PT
Sea Creatures Frolic - Oil on Canvas Figurative Painting 2022 Artwork is on supported wooden frame. Ready to hang. "This piece is a whisper of whimsy and a bold leap into the fantastical, destined to infuse any space with a surge of creative spirit and the thrill of the unknown and absurd." Tam Ess...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Traveller On A horse - Oil on Canvas Figurative Painting
Located in Lisboa, PT
Traveller On A horse - Oil on Canvas Figurative Painting, 2023 Artwork is on supported wooden frame. Ready to hang. Tam Ess makes oil paintings that explore t...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Hungry (pet dog, pug snout, cooking lady, animal art, surrealist oil painting)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
"Hungry" is a captivating painting by Rudolf Kosow that beautifully illustrates a moment of connection between a gargantuan, doleful-eyed bulldog and a diminutive woman. The dog’s fa...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Game (bob cat, female tennis player, ball, vintage, animal, surrealist painting
Located in Quebec, Quebec
In this captivating painting by Rudolf Kosow, the canvas comes alive with a surreal and dynamic encounter. At first glance, we see a massive bob cat head, rendered in repose with a t...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Moody (black dog, hat man, green vintage suit, animal, surrealist oil painting)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
In "Moody," the painter Rudolf Kosow presents a composition that captivates with its emotional depth and surreal creativity. The subject, a soulful canine with eyes that gleam with a...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Tense (pet dog, bulldog, baseball, animal portrait art, surrealist oil painting)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
"Tense," a thought-provoking piece by Rudolf Kosow, presents a surreal interplay between a colossal bulldog and a diminutive baseball player. The dog's face, detailed with astonishin...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Wonderers (coyote, ukulele, man, nature, animal portrait, surrealist painting)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
"Wanderers" by Rudolf Kosow is an evocative painting that captures the kindred spirit of the traveler and the wild. A coyote, poised and attentive, gazes upward, its fur rendered wit...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Equestrian Style and Decor II - Contemporary surrealistic horse painting
Located in DE
Gamez de Francisco paints and photographs very passionately, making statements filled with symbolism. He frequently includes insects in his artwork. He says: Flying insects represent...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Roses are Red - Contemporary colourful figurative surrealistic painting
Located in DE
Gamez de Francisco paints and photographs very passionately, making statements filled with symbolism. He frequently includes insects in his artwork. He says: Flying insects represent...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

Parting (pet dog, bulldog, cowboy, animal portrait art, surrealist oil painting)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
"Parting," a surrealistic painting by Rudolf Kosow, masterfully employs scale to create a poignant narrative of farewell. The canvas is dominated by the face of a bulldog, each hair ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Spring III - Contemporary colourful figurative surrealistic painting
Located in DE
Gamez de Francisco paints and photographs very passionately, making statements filled with symbolism. He frequently includes insects in his artwork. He says: Flying insects represent...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Fashion Essentials I - Contemporary colourful surrealistic painting
Located in DE
Gamez de Francisco paints and photographs very passionately, making statements filled with symbolism. He frequently includes insects in his artwork. He says: Flying insects represent...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Twenty Shades of Sunlight - Contemporary colourful surrealistic painting
Located in DE
Gamez de Francisco paints and photographs very passionately, making statements filled with symbolism. He frequently includes insects in his artwork. He says: Flying insects represent...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Surrealist figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Surrealist figurative paintings 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 figurative paintings 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 Rudolf Kosow, Carlos Gamez De Francisco, Henry David Potwin, Ferjo, and Fernando de Jesus Oliveira. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint 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 figurative paintings, so small editions measuring 2.13 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative paintings 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 $400,000, while the average work sells for $3,770.

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