Surrealism began in 1924 in Paris with the publication of the Surrealist Manifesto by Andre Breton. It was influenced by Freudian theories such as dreams, the unconscious mind, and free association. Key characteristics included automatism, using dreams as inspiration for art, and collage. Major surrealist artists included Joan Miro, Max Ernst, Rene Magritte, and Salvador Dali. Each developed unique styles like biomorphic forms, frottage, and optical illusions while continuing to explore the subconscious. World War 2 displaced many surrealists and ended the cohesive movement, though its influence continues.

1. Chyna Williams, Dory Sherrod, and Jenny
Zott

2. Intro
 Officially started in Paris in 1924
 Publication of The Surrealist Manifesto
by Andre Breton
 Focused on theories of Freud
 Started as literary movement

3. FREUD!
 Psychologist
 Lots of crazy theories
 Ones important to surrealism are:
1. Dream Theories
2. General hidden desires in unconscious
(mention first to come up with it)
3. Free Association (form of therapy, explain it
and how leads into Breton)

4. Key Characteristics
 Common Characteristics of Surrealism:
1. The use of collage in every medium including
film
2. Automatism: method artist let the subconscious
be hand that created art
3. Influenced by Dadaist and Cubist
4. Influenced the early Abstractionist
5. Idea based on anti- war art (WWI)

5. Differences from other
movements
 The Dada movement: purpose was to show life
has no meaning or purpose, protest of the war, for
surrealism peaceful protest
 Cubism: idea of shapes working together, all in the
conscious mind
 Abstractionism: branched from surrealism, created
mainly on feelings, surrealism more dream like

6. Andre Breton
 Created The Surrealist
Manifesto based on the
“pure psychic automatism”

7. Poeme Objet by Andre Breton, 1935

8. Joan Miro
 Leading artist Automatist Surrealism art
movement
 Bright primary colors
 Biomorphic forms,
 Rough geometric shapes
 Marginally recognizable objects.

9. Joan Miro cont.
 Symbols in work: the
moon, birds and
women
 Most work
incorporated themes
of: the sea, stars, birds
and animals

10. Person Throwing a Stone at a Bird,
1926

11. The Harlequin’s Carnival, 1924-25

12. Petit
univers,
1933

13. Max Ernst
 Leading Veristic Surrealist artist
 Invented a new method called frottage
 Transferring textures suggest proactive
approach to composing image
 Experiment with mediums like, collage,
decalcomania and exquisite corpse

14. Max Ernst cont.
 Got impression from
dreams/nightmares
 A reoccurring
character is some of
his work is Loplop

15. Two
Children
are
threatened
by a
Nightingal
e, 1924

16. Loplop
, 1930

17. L'Ange du Foyer, 1937

18. Rene Magritte
 Shift into illusionary-visual movement
 Same objects reappear (green apple,
woman’s body)
 Started using dream theory more

19. Portrait of
Edward
James,
1937

20. Salvador Dali
 Illusions, illusions,
illusions!
 Hidden sexual and
aggressive desires
 Continued with dream
theory

21. The Persistence of Memory, 1931

22. Metamorphis of Narcissus, 1937

23. The
Hallucino
genic
Torreador,
1969

24. End
 Start of WWII ended it in Europe
 Breton and others moved it to New York
 Breton died, movement no longer
organized group
 Some artists continued as self- labeled
surrealists
 Surrealism itself hasn’t really ended and
can still be seen today