Post on 01-Oct-2020
Surrealism Movement Dates:
1920’s - 1940’s
Definition of Surrealism?
• Surrealism is a movement in art and literature.
• Intended to express the true process of thought.
• Create from their subconscious mind and vision.
• Free artists from normal associations.
• Paintings were photorealistic with illogical scenes.
• Surrealism consists of
-pure fantasy
-elaborate reconstruction of a dream-world
-detailed likenesses of objects, straight or distorted
-images are confusing and dreamlike
-three-dimensional abstractions in a fantastical, hallucinatory or unexpected setting
Which art movement did Surrealism follow?
DadaDada is an early twentieth century art movement which ridiculed contemporary
culture and traditional art forms.
Artists frustrated and infuriated by the conditions under which they were forced
to live, spoke out in poetry and through art.
Dada artists produced works which were nihilistic (having no meaning or
purpose in life)
The word dada means: French for "hobbyhorse" and Slavic for "yes yes."
What event prompted the Surrealist movement?
• People were affected by the conditions in which they had to live.
• Artists incorporated in their art dream states or irrational thoughts to the social problems risen from the devastation.
• The movement spread all over the world and flourished in America
• Artwork fused dream and reality, merge reality with fantasy.
World War I
Why and how did this play a role in the art style ?
Who was considered to be the leader of
the Surrealist movement?
André Breton
French writer, poet and
surrealist theorist.
1896 –1966
Whose psychoanalytical theories
influenced the surrealist artists?
Sigmund FreudAustrian Originator of Psycho-Analysis
1856 - 1939
SURREALIST
ARTISTS
Salvador Dali1904-1989
SPANISH
Dali is known for painting melting clocks.
He has a painterly style using dark values.
Some of his works are “Persistence of memory”
and “Apparition of a Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach”
Me and Dali
The Persistence of Memory
Spring flowering from a piano
Apparition of a Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach
Rene Magritte1898-1967
BELGIAN
Magritte is known for painting puffy clouds in light blue skies and men
wearing bowler hats. He paints very detailed objects in unlikely
settings like in “Personal Values”. Another work is “Son of man”.
La Blanc-Seing / The Blank Signature
Personal Values
Golconde - Mine of wealth
MC Escher1898-1972
DUTCH
Escher is known for his black and white works that defy
gravity and perspective. He uses his knowledge of math
and science to create impossible constructions. Some of
his works are “Relativity” and “Waterfall”
Waterfall
Drawing Hands
Relativity