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Surrealist Art

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
TIE Fighter Beatles Pop Art Print, Signed Limited Edition, 40x30 in
TIE Fighter Beatles Pop Art Print, Signed Limited Edition, 40x30 in

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...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

Joan Miro, Japan, from Miro as Sculptor, 1974
Joan Miro, Japan, from Miro as Sculptor, 1974

Joan Miro, Japan, from Miro as Sculptor, 1974

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Japan, from Miro escultor (Miro as Sculptor), originates from the 1974 edition published by Bijutsu Shupan Sha, Tokyo, and ...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

RENÉ MAGRITTE Le Maître d'École -  1955 Limited edition Lithograph - Surrealism
RENÉ MAGRITTE Le Maître d'École -  1955 Limited edition Lithograph - Surrealism

RENÉ MAGRITTE Le Maître d'École - 1955 Limited edition Lithograph - Surrealism

By (after) René Magritte

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...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Wifredo Lam, Untitled, from Ediciones Poligrafa, 1979
Wifredo Lam, Untitled, from Ediciones Poligrafa, 1979

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 ...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Surrealist composition

Surrealist composition

By (after) Joan Miró

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: collotype (after the Miro lithograph). Printed in 1947 in an edition of 1500 by Meriden Gravure and published by Curt Valentin for "The Prints of Joan Miro" portfolio. Size: ...

Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

Joan Miro, The Boar’s Ring, from Derriere le miroir, 1966
Joan Miro, The Boar’s Ring, from Derriere le miroir, 1966

Joan Miro, The Boar’s Ring, from Derriere le miroir, 1966

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled La Bague du sanglier (The Boar’s Ring), from the album Lithographies et eaux-fortes originales, livres illustres originaux,...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Tea Rex, Oil Painting
Tea Rex, Oil Painting

Tea Rex, Oil Painting

By Keith Thomson

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

(after) Marino Marini - "Jongleur" pochoir

(after) Marino Marini - "Jongleur" pochoir

By Marino Marini

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)...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph, Stencil

(after) Marino Marini - "Jongleur et chevaux" pochoir

(after) Marino Marini - "Jongleur et chevaux" pochoir

By Marino Marini

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 1/4 x 4 inches (133 x 100 mm...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph, Stencil

Where Am I? - 21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Nature, Boy Child
Where Am I? - 21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Nature, Boy Child

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

Strategy
Strategy

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...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Espriu - Miró II
Espriu - Miró II

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...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Aquatint

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Miro Recent Paintings, 1953
Joan Miro, Untitled, from Miro Recent Paintings, 1953

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Miro Recent Paintings, 1953

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1953 album Miro Recent Paintings. Published by the Pierre Matisse Gallery, New Y...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Surrealist composition

Surrealist composition

By (after) Joan Miró

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: collotype (after the Miro lithograph). Printed in 1947 in an edition of 1500 by Meriden Gravure and published by Curt Valentin for "The Prints of Joan Miro" portfolio. Size: ...

Category

1940s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

Pegasus, Surrealist Etching by Andre Masson
Pegasus, Surrealist Etching by Andre Masson

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 ...

Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Confident Figure - Original Figurative Abstract Man in Purple Suit on Blue Wall
Confident Figure - Original Figurative Abstract Man in Purple Suit on Blue Wall

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Wool, Canvas, Thread, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Joan Miro, Composition, from L'Atelier Mourlot, 1965
Joan Miro, Composition, from L'Atelier Mourlot, 1965

Joan Miro, Composition, from L'Atelier Mourlot, 1965

By Joan Miró

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Composition (Composition), from the album Les Lithographies de L'Atelier Mourlot, Paris (The Lithographs of the Mourlot Wor...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

"Picador" 1966 Experimental Surrealist Composition
"Picador" 1966 Experimental Surrealist Composition

"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...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Graphite, Pinhole, Color Pencil

Joan Miro, Untitled, from Derriere le miroir, 1967
Joan Miro, Untitled, from Derriere le miroir, 1967

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 (...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Island. Women's Sculpture Head, Original Painting
Island. Women's Sculpture Head, Original Painting

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Rene Magritte, My Mother Goose, 1968 (after)
Rene Magritte, My Mother Goose, 1968 (after)

Rene Magritte, My Mother Goose, 1968 (after)

By René Magritte

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph after Rene Magritte (1898–1967), titled Ma Mere lOye (My Mother Goose), from the folio Les Enfants Trouves de Magritte (The Found Children of Magritte), 1968, originates from the edition published by A.C. Mazo et Cie, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, on November 20, 1968. The work embodies Magrittes sustained inquiry into semiotics and visual epistemology, translating his characteristic strategies of displacement, symbolic inversion, and conceptual ambiguity into an image that operates as both a poetic metaphor and a philosophical proposition concerning the instability of meaning. Executed as a lithograph on grand velin dArches paper, this work measures 17.5 x 23.5 inches (44.5 x 59.7 cm). Signed in the plate by the artist; hand signed by Fernand Mourlot, Editeur. The edition exemplifies the technical mastery of the Mourlot atelier. Artwork Details: Artist: After Rene Magritte (1898–1967) Title: Ma Mere lOye (My Mother Goose), from the folio Les Enfants Trouves de Magritte (The Found Children of Magritte) Medium: Lithograph on grand velin dArches paper Dimensions: 17.5 x 23.5 inches (44.5 x 59.7 cm) Inscription: Signed in the plate by the artist; hand signed by Fernand Mourlot, Editeur Date: 1968 Publisher: A.C. Mazo et Cie, Paris Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris Catalogue Raisonne: Magritte, Rene, et al. Rene Magritte: Catalogue Raisonne, Vol. 3. Menil Foundation; Philip Wilson Publishers; Distributed in the USA and Canada by Rizzoli International, 1992, nos. 791–792 and 1056; vol. 5, p. 218, Bibliography entry 68.28. Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the folio Les Enfants Trouves de Magritte, 1968 Notes: Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), Finished printing in Paris on November 20, 1968, on the presses of Mourlot, for the lithographs. The unpublished text by Louis Scutenaire was composed in Elzevir Casion corps 28 and printed by Fequet et Baudier, typographers. The unpublished compositions numbered from I to IV were specially made by Rene Magritte for this album. The compositions of the Enchanted Domain, are the renderings of the eight paintings of the mural of the Casino de Knokke. They were printed with the benevolent authorization of Mr. Gustave J. Nellens. Justification of the draw, this album was taken from CCCL examples on grand velin dArches numbered from I to CCCL, plus a few examples for collaborators and assistants. About the Publication: Les Enfants Trouves de Magritte (The Found Children of Magritte), published in 1968 by A.C. Mazo et Cie, Paris, represents one of the most significant late life print projects devoted to Rene Magrittes work. Conceived as both a literary and visual tribute, the folio pairs texts by the Belgian writer Louis Scutenaire, Magrittes close friend and fellow Surrealist, with lithographic interpretations produced at the Mourlot atelier, the premier lithographic workshop of twentieth century France. The album includes compositions by Magritte alongside lithographic renderings of the celebrated Enchanted Domain mural from the Casino de Knokke, printed with the authorization of Gustave J. Nellens, who commissioned the original mural. Issued in a single edition of CCCL examples on grand velin dArches, the folio stands as a testament to the collaboration between artist, writer, publisher, and master printer, and remains one of the most culturally important Surrealist print albums of the post war era. About the Artist: Rene Magritte (1898–1967) was a Belgian Surrealist painter whose visionary, intellectual, and poetic imagery redefined twentieth century art and forever changed how the world perceives reality and illusion. Celebrated for his calm precision and thought provoking juxtapositions of ordinary objects in extraordinary contexts, Magritte used painting as a philosophical tool, transforming the everyday into visual paradoxes that challenged the boundaries between what is seen and what is known. Born in Lessines, Belgium, and trained at the Academie Royale des Beaux Arts in Brussels, he absorbed early influences from Cubism, Futurism, and Symbolism before embracing Surrealism, where he found his true voice. In Paris, he became part of the avant garde circle that included Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray—all artists whose radical ideas helped him forge his distinctive synthesis of logic and mystery. Unlike Dalis dream...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Poèmes, Planche IX
Poèmes, Planche IX

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...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Cat and Bird at the Sunset - Original Handsigned Lithograph
Cat and Bird at the Sunset - Original Handsigned Lithograph

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 ...

Category

1990s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Códice Miguelito III, Surrealist Style, Framed, 2010+
Códice Miguelito III, Surrealist Style, Framed, 2010+

Códice Miguelito III, Surrealist Style, Framed, 2010+

By Pedro Friedeberg

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...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Giclée

René Magritte - DÉCALCOMANIE, 1966 Limited ed. Lithograph. Surrealism French
René Magritte - DÉCALCOMANIE, 1966 Limited ed. Lithograph. Surrealism French

René Magritte - DÉCALCOMANIE, 1966 Limited ed. Lithograph. Surrealism French

By (after) René Magritte

Located in Madrid, Madrid

René Magritte - DÉCALCOMANIE, 1966 (DECALCOMANIA) Date of creation: 2010 Medium: Lithograph on BFK Rives Paper Edition: 275 Size: 60 x 45 cm Condition: In mint conditions, brand new...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Flora Dalinae Lilium Musicum
Flora Dalinae Lilium Musicum

Flora Dalinae Lilium Musicum

By Salvador Dalí­

Located in Hollywood, FL

ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Flora Dalinae Lilium Musicum MEDIUM: Etching SIGNED: Hand Signed EDITION NUMBER: 26/200 MEASUREMENTS: 30.25" x 22" YEAR: 1968 FRAMED: No CONDITI...

Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

The Cliche, Oil Painting
The Cliche, Oil Painting

The Cliche, Oil Painting

By Keith Thomson

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

TIE Fighter Beatles Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition
TIE Fighter Beatles Large Oversize Pop Art Print Signed Limited Edition

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...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

Planning for the Future - Blue Jay Birds Still Life Framed Acrylic Painting
Planning for the Future - Blue Jay Birds Still Life Framed Acrylic Painting

Planning for the Future - Blue Jay Birds Still Life Framed Acrylic Painting

By Carlos Gamez de Francisco

Located in Los Angeles, CA

The figurative surrealistic paintings of Carlos Gamez de Francisco are heavily influenced by his Cuban upbringing in a Russian-governed academic setting. This presence exposed Franci...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

The Spilt, Oil Painting
The Spilt, Oil Painting

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil

Adam & Eve, Surrealist Offset Lithograph by Jan Balet
Adam & Eve, Surrealist Offset Lithograph by Jan Balet

Adam & Eve, Surrealist Offset Lithograph by Jan Balet

By Jan Balet

Located in Long Island City, NY

Jan Balet, German (1913 - 2009) - Adam & Eve, Medium: Offset Lithograph, stamp-signed and numbered in pencil, Edition: 509/1000, Image Size: 24 x 18 inches, Size: 31.25 x 25 in. ...

Category

1950s Surrealist Art

Materials

Offset

CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd "THE HORN PLAYER" Sculpture from Huichol ALTERATIONS
CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd "THE HORN PLAYER" Sculpture from Huichol ALTERATIONS

CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd "THE HORN PLAYER" Sculpture from Huichol ALTERATIONS

By CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd

Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México

THE HORN PLAYER!!!!!! ALTERATION ART . . . is a collaboration process between CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd, fine artist and art dealer with over 40 years experience, and various Mexican ...

Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Glass, Mixed Media

Surrealist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Surrealist art 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 art 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 Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, and Leonor Fini. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Lithograph 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 art, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available. Prices for art 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 $1,450,000, while the average work sells for $1,426.