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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
"Parts of Another, " Mixed Media Collage
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Monoprint

Colour Lithograph 'La Triple Roue ll' 1981
Located in Toronto, CA
'La Triple Roue ll' Limited edition colour lithograph on Arches paper from Joan Míro's final series of fifteen lithographs, 'Allegro Vivace' 1981. The series is known for its bold fo...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Argus ( Le Peon ) original etching The Mythology series by Salvador Dali 1963
Located in Paonia, CO
Argus ( Le Peon ) is an original handsigned limited edition ( 79 /150 ) etching by Salvador Dali from The Mythology series, 1963. Published by Pierre Argillet, Paris on Arches paper ( ref: Field 63-3A / Michler & Lopsinger 116). Salvador Dalí’s mythology...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Le Voyageur- Original surrealistic floral skyscape painting- modern art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Le Voyageur" by Hallie Packard is a mesmerizing original painting that merges elements of nature with the vast expanse of the cosmos in a surrealistic journey of imagination. With v...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Fish, Chips & Jazz-original figurative city-landscape painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Fish, Chips and Jazz!" by Therese James invites viewers into a vibrant and animated streetscape filled with the bustling energy of everyday life. Devoid of grass, hills, or trees, i...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Face and Flowers
Located in Columbia, MO
Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....
Category

20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

The Judgement of Paris original E.A. etching by Salvador Dali Mythology Suite
Located in Paonia, CO
The Judgement of Paris ( Three Graces ) is an original limited edition Epreuve d'Artiste ( EA ) etching by Salvador Dali from the Mythology Suite. ( ref: Field 63-3.I / Michler & Lopsinger 123 ). Salvador Dalí’s mythology...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Dubuffet, Composition Barbe (Webel 775-779), La Fleur de Barbe (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Phototype on vélin d’Arches paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, La Fleur de Barbe, 1960. Published by Jean Dubu...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

"Repose, " Mixed Media Collage
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Monoprint

The Resurrection, Signed Surrealist Lithograph by Salvador Dali
Located in Long Island City, NY
The Resurrection by Salvador Dali, Spanish (1904–1989) Date: 1979 Lithograph on Arches, signed and numbered in pencil Edition of 243/250 Image Size: 23 x 16 inches Size: 29.5 x 21.5 ...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Dubuffet, Composition Barbe (Webel 775-779), La Fleur de Barbe (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Phototype on vélin d’Arches paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, La Fleur de Barbe, 1960. Published by Jean Dubu...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

Exhibition Poster Galerie Gerald Cramer - Lithograph by Joan Mirò - 1969
Located in Roma, IT
Exhibition Poster Galerie Gerald Cramer is a contemporary artwork realized by Joan Mirò. Mixed colored lithograph. The poster was realized in occasion of the exhibition of the arti...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

"Aerial 3" Photography 24" x 24" inch Edition 2/15 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Aerial 3" Photography 24" x 24" inch Edition 2/15 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. Available...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

Dubuffet, Composition Barbe (Webel 775-779), La Fleur de Barbe (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Phototype on vélin d’Arches paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, La Fleur de Barbe, 1960. Published by Jean Dubu...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

Dubuffet, Composition (Webel 775-779), La Fleur de Barbe (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Phototype on vélin d’Arches paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, La Fleur de Barbe, 1960. Published by Jean Dubu...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

Hell 11 : At the Edge of the Seventh Circle - Woodcut - 1963 (Field #p. 189)
Located in Paris, FR
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) Hell 11 - At the Edge of the Seventh Circle From the Divine Comedy (Dante) Original woodcut Signature printed in the plate 1960/63 Printed on paper Vélin B...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Dubuffet, Composition Barbe (Webel 775-779), La Fleur de Barbe (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Phototype on vélin d’Arches paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, La Fleur de Barbe, 1960. Published by Jean Dubu...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

UNDER the SEA 5 by Paula Craioveanu NewMedia print/canvas large 27.5x27.5in
Located in Forest Hills, NY
Under the Sea 5 by Paula Craioveanu, New Media composition printed on canvas Size is 27.5 x27.5in / 70x70cm part of my "NeoMythology" series. Shipped rolled in a tube.
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Archival Pigment

"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 Art

Materials

Oil

Woman - Aquatint by Man Ray - 1968
Located in Roma, IT
Woman is a contemporary artwork realized by Man Ray in 1968. Black and white aquatint. Initials of the artist on the lower margin. Numbered in the lower left. Edition of 30/99. R...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper, Aquatint

Artist Palette - Landscape Painting - Oil On Canvas By Marc Zimmerman
Located in Carmel, CA
A verdant tropical scene is the setting for the artists palette. After all its shape and color provide the perfect accent. Artist Palette - Landscape Painting - Oil On Canvas By Mar...
Category

Early 2000s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"STATE OF PLAY" 2024 - Colorful Whimsical Mixed Media Surrealist painting/panel
Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
"State of Play" is a wonderful, whimsical surrealist mixed media painting. Acrylic, Sakura Markers, Caran d’Ache & Pencil on a Birchwood Panel 17 x 17 inches 2024 Framed Artist’s ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Watercolor, Permanent Marker, Pencil, Wood Panel, Color Pencil

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 Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Marc Chagall ( 1887 – 1985 ) – La Piège – hand-signed Lithograph on Arches paper
Located in Varese, IT
Color lithograph on Arches paper, edited in 1962 Limited edition of 75 copies signed in pencil by artist in lower right corner and numbered 37/75 in lower left corner Framed size: 75...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Purgatory 13 - The Second Terrace - Color woodcut - 1963
Located in Paris, FR
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) Purgatory 13 - The Second Terrace Color woodcut on paper Printed signature 1960/63 Printed on paper Vélin BFK Rives Size 32,8 x 26,4 cm (c. 13 x 10") REFE...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Woodcut

"Cream” Photography 36" x 28" inch Edition of 24 by Brian Ziff
Located in Culver City, CA
“Cream” Photography 36" x 28" inch Edition of 24 by Brian Ziff Giclee (Archival Ink) Print on Canson Platine Fibre Rag From "Rite of Spring" series In this melancholy series, we ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Archival Ink, Rag Paper, Giclée

Von Hyin Kolk (American, 1997 - ) Oil She Can Sew the Sky Before It Ruptures
Located in New York, NY
Title: "She Can Sew the Sky Before It Ruptures" Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 48 x 36 inches Frame: Framing options available! Condition: Excellent. Year: 2023 Artist: Von Hyin ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Shakespeare II Henry VI
Located in Hollywood, FL
ARTIST: Salvador Dali TITLE: Shakespeare II Henry VI MEDIUM: Etching SIGNED: Hand Signed by Salvador Dali PUBLISHER: Transworld Art/Lionel Praeger/Knoedler/Berggruen MEASUREME...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Etching

Vintage American Modernist Abstract Surreal Framed Signed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nicely painted surreal abstract oil painting by Paul Allen Reed (1919 - 2015). Great color and composition. Framed. Signed verso.
Category

Early 2000s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Rubus in Combustus - Lithograph - 1964
Located in Roma, IT
Rubus in combustus is an artwork realized in 1964. It is part of Biblia Sacra vulgatæ editionis published by Rizzoli-Mediolani between 1967 and 196...
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

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 Art

Materials

Watercolor, Paper, Gouache

Le Septieme Chant.
Located in New York, NY
MASSON, André. Le Septieme Chant. By Alain Jouffroy. Illustrated with 4 engravings by Masson. Folio, loose as issued in the original wrappers and linen-covered slipcase, preserve...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Paper

Von Hyin Kolk (American, 1997 - ) Oil On Canvas "99 Sky Girl Ornament"
Located in New York, NY
Title: "99 Sky Girl Ornament" Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 48 x 36 inches Frame: Framing options available! Condition: Excellent. Year: 2023 Artist: Von Hyin Kolk Signature: S...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Surrealist Mixed Media Sculptural Assemblage, 'Toucan'.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Late 20th century mixed media sculptural assemblage by British artist Derek Carruthers. The work is not signed but was acquired along with a collectio...
Category

Late 20th Century Surrealist Art

Materials

Wood, Plywood, Paper, Acrylic

"Moon Birth 3" Photography 31" x 31" in Edition 1/7 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Moon Birth 3" Photography 31" x 31" in Edition 1/7 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. Availabl...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

"In A TranceAtlantic Crossing" 2024 - Mixed Media Whimsical Surrealism colorful
Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
"In A TranceAtlantic Crossing" is a wonderful, whimsical, surrealist mixed media painting. Acrylic, Sakura Markers, Caran d’Ache & Pencil on a Birchwood Cradled Panel 36 x 30 inches...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Color Pencil, Wood Panel, Pencil, Permanent Marker, Watercolor, Acrylic

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 Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Algun Dia - figurative painting, landscape painting
Located in New York, NY
This beautiful surrealist painting by Mauricio comes rolled in a tube and needs to be stretched when received. In his pieces, Mauricio combines his figurative expertise along with su...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Yijian Wang Contemporary Original Oil On Canvas "Let Me Enjoy It 2"
Located in New York, NY
Title: Let Me Enjoy It 2 Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 21 x 13 inches Frame: Framing options available! Condition: The painting appears to be in excellent condition. Note: This p...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, 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 Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Surrealist Still Life with Lemon - Original Lithograph Handsigned and Numbered
Located in Paris, FR
Georges ROHNER Surrealist Still life with Lemon, 1972 Original lithograph (Mourlot workshop) Handsigned in pencil Justified HC (hors commerce) On Japan paper 76 x 54 cm (c. 29,9 x 2...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

UNDER the SEA 3 by Paula Craioveanu NewMedia print/canvas large 27.5x27.5in
Located in Forest Hills, NY
Under the Sea 3 by Paula Craioveanu, New Media composition printed on canvas Size is 27.5 x27.5in / 70x70cm part of my "NeoMythology" series. Shipped rolled in a tube.
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Archival Pigment

UNDER the SEA 4 by Paula Craioveanu NewMedia print/canvas large 27.5x27.5in
Located in Forest Hills, NY
Under the Sea 5 by Paula Craioveanu, New Media composition printed on canvas Size is 27.5 x27.5in / 70x70cm part of my "NeoMythology" series. Shipped rolled in a tube.
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Archival Pigment

Yijian Wang Surrealist Original Oil Painting "Meditate"
Located in New York, NY
Title: Meditate Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 19.5 x 15.75 inches Frame: Framing options available! Condition: The painting appears to be in excellent condition. Note: This paint...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, 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 Art

Materials

Oil

UNDER the SEA 4 by Paula Craioveanu NewMedia print/canvas large 27.5x27.5in
Located in Forest Hills, NY
Under the Sea 4 by Paula Craioveanu, New Media composition printed on canvas Size is 27.5 x27.5in / 70x70cm part of my "NeoMythology" series. Shipped rolled in a tube.
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Archival Pigment

MARK RYDEN - YUKI THE YOUNG YAK (WHITE) Limited Surrealism Lowbrow Art Design
Located in Madrid, Madrid
MARK RYDEN - YUKI THE YOUNG YAK (WHITE) Date of creation: 2022 Medium: Plush and rubber Edition: 500 Size: 43.20 x 30.50 x 25.4 cm Condition: Brand new, sent inside its custom box Th...
Category

2010s Surrealist Art

Materials

Rubber

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 Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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 Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Moon Birth 2" Photography 24" x 24" in Edition 1/15 by Olha Stepanian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Moon Birth 2" Photography 24" x 24" in Edition 1/15 by Olha Stepanian Printed on Epson Professional Paper Signed and numbered by the artist Not framed. Ships in a tube. Availab...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

"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 Art

Materials

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 Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Vintage American Modernist Trompe L'Oeil Surreal Still Life Exhibited Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Amazing American modernist still life oil painting by Adrian Martinez (Born 1949) . Oil on canvas. Exhibited.
Category

1960s Surrealist Art

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 Art

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

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 Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

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 Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

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 Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Ponte de Rodillas - Etching, Drypoint - 1977
Located in Roma, IT
Con todos estos líos no te escaparás is a contemporary artwork realized in 1977 by Salvador Dalì. The artwork is from the series: 'Les Caprices de Goya de Dali'. Drypoint on Helios...
Category

1970s Surrealist Art

Materials

Drypoint, Etching

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.

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