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Surrealist Art
We associate Surrealist paintings directly with famous names such as Salvador Dalí or René Magritte. But Surrealism was more than just an art movement!
The dreamlike paintings, objects and photographs still fascinate art lovers today. Discover wall art
with surrealist motifs exclusively at LUMAS!
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Bestseller
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New
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Bestseller
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New
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Contents - Surrealist Paintings:
Origins and Characteristics of Surrealism
Famous Artists and Surrealist Paintings
Surrealist Art at LUMAS
Timeline and Key Surrealist Paintings
Origins and Characteristics of Surrealism
Surrealism developed parallel to the Dada movement in the early 20th century and slightly later than Expressionism. The term Surrealism was first used by Guillaume Apollinaire around 1917 and was later coined by André Breton as the name of the Surrealist movement. Surreal roughly means "above reality". The main themes and motifs of Surrealist paintings and works are often the dreamlike, the unconscious, the unreal and the psyche. Artists often chose to work figuratively in their paintings. The brushwork in these paintings is frequently fine and realistic. Photography as a medium also depicts reality. What makes it special is the combination with the unreal, the dream world, or the uncanny that creeps into the images and collages. A major driver of this interest was the emergence of psychoanalysis following Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Surrealism is thus more than just an art movement. It sought to bring about a new spiritual attitude and a transformation of society.
Famous Artists and Surrealist Paintings
In the period between the World Wars, a need arose in art to break with the bourgeoisie and long-established visual and lifestyle conventions. Expressionist paintings already represented a radical break with the art that had dominated up to that point. Painting increasingly became abstract or surreal, and visible reality lost significance. The numerous photographic works, paintings, plays and literature of Surrealism are a further development of the avant-garde. For many artists such as Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Meret Oppenheim, Claude Cahun or Dora Maar, the human psyche, the dream and eros play the most important role in their work. Frida Kahlo's paintings also reveal a subtle understanding of the human psyche, enriched with an enigmatic symbolism. A spiritual freedom and a new image of humanity emerge in key works such as "Le Fils De L'Homme" (1964) by René Magritte, "The Persistence of Memory" (1931) by Salvador Dalí, "Harlequin's Carnival" (1924/25) by Joan Miró, or the black-and-white images and photographs by Man Ray.
Surrealist Paintings at LUMAS
Our selected photographic art also stands in this tradition of Surrealism's unmistakable visual language. Fascinating works depicting famous Surrealist artists or motifs by great names such as Magritte or Frida Kahlo can be found in the LUMAS portfolio. But modern Surrealists also reinvent the combination of realistic, sometimes finely painted depictions and unreal dream scenarios.
Surreal Worlds
Daria Petrilli and Götz Valien place female figures in a surreal space. With fine brushstrokes, the protagonists are carefully rendered, only to find themselves in an absurd reality. Andrea Damp lets her childlike figures immerse themselves in a magical, sun-drenched world that seems to elude rational interpretation. Dream with your favorites and discover these special art prints.
Surreal Architecture and Landscape
Combined with architecture and landscape imagery, photo collages take on a particularly fascinating quality. Matthias Jung, Bence Bakonyi, Antonio Rojas, Ciuco Gutiérrez and Beomsik Won will leave you amazed! The world is turned upside down when you engage with these exciting artists.
Timeline of Surrealism
| before and after 1918 | Giorgio de Chirico's metaphysical painting ( I piaceri del poeta , 1911) is considered a forerunner of Surrealism. Surrealism emerges out of Dada. The movement initially concentrates on France and Paris. |
| 1922 | Break with Dada. André Breton convenes the Congrès de Paris. |
| 1924 | The term Surrealism (formerly Supranaturalism) is introduced. The Surrealist Manifesto is drafted. |
| 13–26 Nov 1925 | La Peinture Surrealiste, the first joint group exhibition in Paris. Participants: Hans Arp, Paul Klee, Man Ray, Max Ernst, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Giorgio de Chirico, André Masson and Pierre Roy. |
| until 1930 | Until the rise of fascism in Europe, a wide variety of Surrealist techniques and manifestations emerge. |
| from approx. 1930 to 1945 | Fascism and the Second World War in Europe force many artists to emigrate. Breton calls for resistance and political engagement. The Surrealists soon split into those involved in resistance and groups less politically involved. |
| after 1945 | A vibrant Surrealist scene develops in New York in the USA. Yves Tanguy, Man Ray, Salvador Dalí, André Breton, Max Ernst and Marcel Duchamp emigrate there. Surrealism has a major influence on Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism. |
| from 1970 | Surrealism as a defined movement remains influential into the 1970s. Yet even today, its influences and ideas can be seen, for example, in Conceptual Art or in filmmakers such as David Lynch. |
