What is Surrealism? Famous Surrealist Works

Although not in the sense we know, humanity has been producing art since its existence. This art produced has been interpreted differently by artists in every period of history. While some argue that we should convey reality directly, others as in surrealism He says we can bend reality to our heart’s content. That is why the idea of ​​surrealism has a special place.

Surrealism emerged in Europe in the short period between the First and Second World Wars. It is important to know this period because the social and psychological effects of what happened between these two dates, where millions of people died in terrible ways, are clearly seen with such art movements. Bride what is surrealism Let’s examine the answer to the question through these important works.

Before moving on to the works, let’s start by making a basic definition; What is surrealism, when did it appear?

To give a clear history, surrealism is a book prepared by Andre Breton in 1924. He appeared in the work Manifeste du Surrealisme. According to this manifesto, surrealism, in other words surrealism, is a way in which the unconscious and the conscious are combined. In fact, surrealism is not outside reality, on the contrary, it is reality itself.

Surrealism is based on the theories put forward by Sigmund Freud. That is, unconscious by bringing the real facts to the level of consciousness surrealist works emerge. Of course, for this reason, the works created become a little extraordinary and, to use their own words, imaginary, sexual and perverted images begin to emerge. The surrealists were divided into different currents within a short time.

Some of the most well-known representatives of surrealism are:

• PJ Jouve
• Pierre Reverdy
• Robert Desnos
• Louis Aragon
• Paul Eluard
• Antonin Arnaud
• Raymond Queneau
• Philippe Soupault
• Arthur Cravan
• Rene Char
• Federico Garcia Lorca
• Salvador Dali
• René Magritte

Here are some of the most important works that come to mind when it comes to surrealism:

• Egg in the Church or the Snake – Andre Breton
• The Tilled Field – Joan Miro
• The Barbarians – Max Ernst
• Battle of Fishes – Andre Masson
• The Treachery of Images – Rene Magritte
• Mama Papa is Wounded – Yves Tanguy
• Ulu’s Pants – Leonora Carrington
• The Great Masturbator – Salvador Dali
• The Son of Man – Rene Magritte
• The Persistence of Memory – Salvador Dali

Collage of Surrealism: Egg in the Church or the Snake – Andre Breton

Egg in the Church or the Snake is not actually a painting, but a kind of photo collage. However, the author of the manifesto that revealed the surrealism movement Because it was created by Andre Breton it is extremely important. In this work, the aim is actually to do a kind of visual experiment and to capture a dream-like narrative language.

Image should be studied: The Tilled Field – Joan Miro

One of Joan Miro’s first surrealist works, The Tilled Field, He approaches the nature of the Catalan region from a historical perspective. In fact, this work is a reflection of the Spanish political structure of the period. Each image in this work, which has a highly symbolic language, deserves to be explained one by one.

A dadaist look at surrealism: The Barbarians – Max Ernst

Although Max Ernst is one of the surrealist artists, he is actually a dadaist. Being heavily influenced by both Breton and Freud He did The Barbarians. Here, he has included important figures of early pagan mythology and sexual symbols on his own childhood memories. The work is built on the theme of powers.

A unique technique: Battle of Fishes – Andre Masson

Painter Andre Masson, one of the French representatives of Surrealism, actually in his work Battle of Fishes. an experimental study doing. The endless conflicts in the European countries of the period are described by Masson with an unfamiliar artistic technique and a rather aggressive language in this work.

This is not a pipe: The Treachery of Images – Rene Magritte

One of the best works that explains that surrealism is not just an art movement but a kind of worldview is The Treachery of Images by Rene Magritte. “This is not a pipe.” inscription and the pipe image on it maybe we can’t write thousands of pages and tell emerges as the clearest summary of surrealism. This work has also been a work that created its own sub-current.

Has strong sexual connotations: Mama Papa is Wounded – Yves Tanguy

It would not be wrong to say that Mama Papa is Wounded is Yves Tanguy’s most important masterpiece. The language of the work A successful result of combining Freud’s psychoanalytic technique with symbolism. Although family relations are the basis of the work, which tells about post-war Europe, there are also strong sexual connotations that we can interpret as a Freudian touch.

The clash of a woman’s different identities: Ulu’s Pants – Leonora Carrington

Leonora Carrington, one of the few female artists of the Surrealism movement, in her work Ulu’s Pants Using images from Celtic mythology and Mexican culture He described the conflict of his identities as writer, painter, sculptor, weaver, mother and woman. In fact, this work is a kind of self-analysis work.

Freudian magic: The Great Masturbator – Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali, one of the first names that come to mind when it comes to surrealism. How he was influenced and even fascinated by the theories put forward by Freud It is clearly seen in The Great Masturbator. In this work, which is one of the oldest surrealist paintings, the ego structure is analyzed and suppressed sexual mechanisms are revealed.

The work that shapes the history of art: The Son of Man – Rene Magritte

One of the most iconic works in art history, The Son of Man is also the work of Rene Magritte and It is one of the most important works of surrealism. This work, which inspired many different movies and works of art in the following years, is actually a self-portrait of the painter. The bowler hat and apple figure are unique images on which countless books will be written.

What is Surrealism, this is it: The Persistence of Memory – Salvador Dali

One of Salvador Dali’s most important works, The Persistence of Memory, It gives perhaps one of the clearest answers to the question of what is surrealism. In the work, in which a view of the Catalan region is the main figure, the space-time continuity is turned upside down. Dali says that he painted this work after a kind of lucid dream state.

one of the most important movements in the history of art. what is surrealism We have listed some of the most important works of this movement by answering the question. Of course, this list could have been much longer. You can share the surrealist works and painters you want to be on our list in the comments.

For the interesting works of René Magritte, who approaches the perception of reality from a completely different angle: