Famous Surrealist Artists - List of Famous Surrealist Artists

French writer and poet André Breton founded Surrealism which became best known for its visual artworks and writings aimed at revolutionizing human experience, in its personal, cultural, social, and political aspects. Surrealist artists painted unnerving and illogical scenes with photographic precision and developed painting techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself. Spanish painter Salvador Dalí is one of the best known figures of the Surrealist movement and is credited with creating the painting ‘The Persistence of Memory’, the most recognizable work of the movement which employs "the exactitude of realist painting techniques". Another influential surrealist artist was Rene Magritte who painted ‘The Son of Man’ as a self-portrait with the hope of conveying important messages about the individual. His paintings striped the signs and symbols of their original meaning and were counted amongst the most iconic surrealist paintings. German painter and sculptor Max Ernst was also a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and Surrealism. He collaborated with other artists like Marcel Duchamp and Marc Chagall during the World War II and helped inspire the development of Abstract expressionism. This section provides you information about the life and works of famous Surrealist artists.

The Most Famous Surrealist Artists

NameBirthdayNationalityBio
Frida KahloJuly 6, 1907MexicanFrida Kahlo was a renowned Mexican artist, well known for her self-portraits
Pablo PicassoOctober 25, 1881SpanishPablo Picasso was one of the greatest painters of the 20th century
Rene MagritteNovember 21, 1898BelgianRene Magritte was a Belgian surrealist artist known for his thought-provoking images that force the observers to think beyond their perceptions of reality
Leonora CarringtonApril 6, 1917MexicanLeonora Carrington was an English-born Mexican artist and painter
Roberto MattaNovember 11, 1911ChileanRoberto Matta was one of the best-known painters from Chile
Marcel DuchampJuly 28, 1887French, AmericanMarcel Duchamp was a famous French-American painter, writer, sculptor and chess player
Giorgio de ChiricoJuly 10, 1888ItalianGiorgio de Chirico was an Italian artist who co-founded the genre of ‘Metaphysical painting’ which had a profound influence on the Surrealists.This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements.
Joan MiróApril 20, 1893SpanishJoan Miro was a 20th century Catalan Spanish artist known for his Surrealist works
Max ErnstApril 2, 1891GermanMax Ernst was a famous German painter, sculptor and graphic artist
Roberto Matta

Roberto Matta

Roberto Matta was one of the best-known painters from Chile

ChileanNovember 11, 1911196 views

Max Ernst

Max Ernst was a famous German painter, sculptor and graphic artist

GermanApril 2, 1891128 views

Leonora Carrington

Leonora Carrington was an English-born Mexican artist and painter

MexicanApril 6, 1917210 views

Joan Miró

Joan Miro was a 20th century Catalan Spanish artist known for his Surrealist works

SpanishApril 20, 1893130 views

Giorgio de Chirico

Giorgio de Chirico was an Italian artist who co-founded the genre of ‘Metaphysical painting’ which had a profound influence on the Surrealists.This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements.

ItalianJuly 10, 1888154 views

Rene Magritte

Rene Magritte was a Belgian surrealist artist known for his thought-provoking images that force the observers to think beyond their perceptions of reality

BelgianNovember 21, 1898272 views

Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso was one of the greatest painters of the 20th century

SpanishOctober 25, 1881330 views

Marcel Duchamp

Marcel Duchamp was a famous French-American painter, writer, sculptor and chess player

FrenchJuly 28, 1887188 views

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was a renowned Mexican artist, well known for her self-portraits

MexicanJuly 6, 1907331 views