Surrealism is an artistic movement that emerged in the late 1910s, aimed at exploring the subconscious mind through fantastic and contradictory imagery. Key figures include René Magritte, Max Ernst, and Salvador Dalí, whose works reflect hallucinatory effects and personal memories. The movement produced significant manifestos and continued to influence various cultural domains, including advertising and animation.

2. Definition of Surrealism
• Unlock the power of the imagination
• The scene is unreal, but the setting, the objective and the
human
• Expressions as ‘fantastic’, bizarre’, ‘unusual’, or even ‘mad’
• Movement in art and literature that tried to represent the
subconscious mind by creating fantastic imagery and
juxtaposing elements that seem to contradict each other
• Subconscious mind, and their interests in myth and
primitivism
• Make art inspired by this realm

3. History of Surrealism
• Small group of writers and artists, late 1910s and early '20s
• André Breton with the publication of his Manifesto of
Surrealism
• word ‘surrealist’ appeared in the year 1917
• Early 20th century. From French (Paris) surréalisme, literally
"beyond realism"
• First group, (emblematic), Second group, (naturalists of the
imaginary)
• ‘To change life’, Arthur Rimbaud and ‘descriptive’, who were
inspired by Chirico.

4. Manifesto of Surrealism
- 1924, Andre’ Breton’s Manifeste du Surrealisme appeared
- Book expressed what was already a daily reality
- Writings of the surrealist group, 'rationalism', first world war
- Imagination, folly, dream, surrender to the dark forces of the
unconscious
- Idea as a movement, with an agenda, rather than just a style
of art.

5. Figure of Surrealism
RENE MAGRITTE
•Painter (1898–1967)
•was a Belgian surrealist artist.
•Before finding success as an artist, Magritte was designed
wallpaper and advertisements.
•After a poorly received solo show in 1927, he moved to Paris
and became firmly lodged in the surrealist movement.

6. RENE MAGRITTE (Golconda ) -1953
• Referring to a wealthy city in India, the name and the
painting draws inspiration from the desire of wealth.
• Image of nearly identical men in long coat colored
trench coats and derby hats.
• The surreal painting draws the viewer into a realm of
uncertainty.
Type: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: (81cm x 100cm)
31.9inch x 39.37inch
Location: The Menil Collection,
Houston, Texas

7. (The Son of Man) -1964
• A man in an overcoat and a bowler
hat standing in front of a short wall,
beyond which is the sea and a
cloudy sky.
•The man's face is largely obscured
by a hovering green apple.
•But, the man's eyes can be seen
peeking over the edge of the apple.
•Another subtle feature is that the
man's left arm appears to bend
backwards at the elbow.
Type: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 116cm x 89cm
(45.67 inch x 35inch)
Location: Private Collection
Genre: Self-Potrait

8. Figure of Surrealism
MAX ERNST
•Born: April 2, 1891, Brühl, Germany
•Died: April 1, 1976, Paris, France
•Spouse: Dorothea Tanning (m. 1946–1976), more
•Periods: Surrealism, Modern art, Dada

9. MAX ERNST
The Elephant Celebes
(1921)
•portrayal of the constituent
elements produces a hallucinatory
effect that he associated with
collage, and was trying to achieve in
this painting.
•The painting uniquely combines
found imagery and non-Western
visual elements.
Type: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 125.4 cm × 107.9 cm (49.37 in ×
42.48 in)
Location: Tate Gallery, London

10. MAX ERNST
The Nymph Echo 1936
•surprising degree of linear control,
distantly related to that of the
landscapes of Henri Rousseau
•Deep within the undergrouth of the
forest floor, contrasting to the careful
contours
Type: Oil paint
Dimensions: 46 cm x 55 cm
Created: 1936

11. Figure of Surrealism
SALVADOR DALI
• Painter (1904–1989)
• 1922, Dalí enrolled at the Academia de San Fernando in
Madrid
• 1926 and 1929, met with influential painters and
intellectuals
such as Pablo Picasso
• 1929, expanded his artistic exploration into the world of film-
making
• 1930, Salvador Dalí had become a notorious figure of the
Surrealist movement.

12. SALVADOR DALI
(The Persistence of Memory (1931)
• Title Persistence of Memory could very well refer to
Dali's own memory of his own childhood surroundings.
• Abandoned and uninhabited quality of the landscape in
the painting, not visited since Dali's childhood.
• One watch hangs on a tree branch like laundry left out
on the line to dry; the branch is not flowering or covered
in leaves and green, but is sapped and dried out.
Type: Oil paint
Dimensions: 24cm x 33cm
Location: Museum of Modern
Art

13. SALVADOR DALI
(Old Couple or Musician )
• An older couple are looking at one another
remembering what each looked like when they were
younger
• Right side of the image the male is smiling playing a
stringed instrument
• Female looking on from the archway as he plays music
• Could symbolize the concept of life being a struggle

14. SALVADOR DALI (Soldier Take
Warning)
• At first glance, the painting looks
as if there is a soldier in the
forefront looking back at two
women.
• To warn soldiers about the
possibility of contracting STDs
• The women are supposed to
symbolize a skull

15. Surrealism in Advertising

17. Surrealism in Animation