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Overview
What is Surrealism?
1924 – 1960sPeriod
Paris, FranceBegan in
12Key artists on this page
12Works with free images
9Museums to visit
Surrealism is an art and cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists aimed to allow the unconscious mind to express itself, often resulting in the depiction of illogical or dreamlike scenes and ideas. Its intention was, according to leader André Breton, to "resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality into an absolute reality, a super-reality", or surreality. It produced works of painting, writing, photography, theatre, filmmaking, music, comedy and other media as well. Works of Surrealism feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequitur.From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Original Art Movements text
This is the text that appeared on this page on the original Art Movements site. It is kept for reference; some statements are simplified or out of date. Where it differs from the overview, characteristics and dates above, which are checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata, trust those instead.
A literary and art movement, dedicated to expressing the imagination as revealed in dreams, free of the conscious control of reason and convention. Surrealism inherited its anti-rationalist sensibility from Dada, but was lighter in spirit than that movement. Like Dada, it was shaped by emerging theories on our perception of reality, the most obvious influence being Freud’s model of the subconscious.
Founded in Paris in 1924 by André Breton with his Manifesto of Surrealism, the movement’s principal aim was ‘to resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality into an absolute reality, a super-reality’. Its roots can be traced back to French poets such as Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire and Lautreamont, the latter providing the famous line that summed up the Surrealists’ love of the incongruous; “Beautiful as the chance encounter of a sewing machine and an umbrella on a dissecting table.”
The major artists of the movement were Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, René Magritte and Joan Miró. Surrealism’s impact on popular culture can still be felt today, most visibly in advertising.
The Treachery of Images by René Magritte, 1929 · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Period
1924 – 1960s
Began in
Paris, France
Key artists
Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Frida Kahlo, Joan Miró
Related
Dada, Bauhaus, Expressionism
How to recognise it
Key characteristics of Surrealism
Dreams and the unconscious mind, influenced by Freud
Unexpected juxtapositions and dream imagery
Automatic drawing and writing to bypass conscious control
Realistic technique applied to impossible scenes (Dalí, Magritte)
Games of chance, collage and new techniques such as frottage
Timeline
When was Surrealism?
Surrealism is usually dated 1924 – 1960s, beginning in Paris, France. Dates for art movements are approximate: artists joined and left, and styles overlapped.
Each bar shows an artist's life; the shaded band is the main period of Surrealism.
Paul Klee
Pablo Picasso
Max Ernst
Joan Miró
Tristan Tzara
André Masson
Henry Moore
Alberto Giacometti
Salvador Dalí
Frida Kahlo
Francis Bacon
Leonora Carrington
Surrealism
1879–1940
1881–1973
1891–1976
1893–1983
1896–1963
1896–1987
1898–1986
1901–1966
1904–1989
1907–1954
1909–1992
1917–2011
1880190019201940196019802000
Who
Key Surrealism artists
Artists linked to Surrealism in Wikidata, ordered by how widely they are covered on Wikipedia. Artists marked Art Icons have a full profile on our sister site.
Launched by André Breton's 1924 manifesto, Surrealism explored dreams and the unconscious.
When was Surrealism?
Surrealism: 1924 – 1960s. It began in Paris, France. Dates for art movements are approximate.
What are the main characteristics of Surrealism?
Dreams and the unconscious mind, influenced by Freud; Unexpected juxtapositions and dream imagery; Automatic drawing and writing to bypass conscious control; Realistic technique applied to impossible scenes (Dalí, Magritte); Games of chance, collage and new techniques such as frottage.
Who are the most famous Surrealism artists?
Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Frida Kahlo, Joan Miró, Paul Klee.
What are some famous Surrealism works?
The Treachery of Images by René Magritte; The Great Masturbator by Salvador Dalí; The Face of War by Salvador Dalí; Bicycle Wheel by Marcel Duchamp; Lobster Telephone by Salvador Dalí.
Where can I see Surrealism art?
Museum of Modern Art (New York, United States), Los Angeles County Museum of Art (United States), Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Madrid, Spain), Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (Rotterdam, Netherlands), Minneapolis Institute of Art (United States) hold works shown on this page.
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