Surrealism

38 Pages·2000·4.655 MB·English

by  Linda Bolton

L^RLT
]RMEl/0)]LlLnriC]>
i
IB^oJtoini
]L]l]ni(dlai
WITH N
No longerthe pro: jt/ cfthe
^
Boston Public Library.
taleofthis roaterlai benefited the L&rvy

simeusM
Linda Bolton
PETER BEDRICK BOOKS
NTC/Co»tfnip(iraryPiihlishuiijGroup
NEW YORK
This American edition published 2000 by Peter Bedrick Books, OH BR
a division of NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group. Inc.. NJ6494
4255 West Touhy Avenue. Lincolnwood (Chicago). .38
Illinois 60646-1975 U.S.A. B58
2000
First published in Great Britain in 2000 by Belitha Press Limited.
London House. Great Eastern Wharf. Parkgate Road. London SWI 4NQ
I
Copyright € 2000 by Belitha Press Limited
Editor Anna Claybourne
Designer HelenJames
Picture Researcher Diana Morris
Educational Consultant Hester Collicutt
Consultants for US Edition Nathaniel Harris. Ruth Nason
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group. Inc.
Printed in China
International Standard Book Number: 0-87226-612-5
Library of Congress Catalogmg-m-Publication data
IS available from the United States Library of Congress.
00 01 02 03 15 14 13 12 II 10 9 7 6 5 4 3 2 I
Picture Credits:
Frontcover:Joan Miro.Tiie HarlequinsCarnival. 1924-25. ©ADACP bya Nightingale. 1924, © ADAGP Pans/DACS 2000 London,
Paris/DACS London 2000. Albright KnoxGallery. Buffalo. Photo Museum ofModern Art. NewYork, Purchase. Photo © 1999 MOMA.
BridgemanArt Library, I: Rene Magritte. The Listening Room. 1952. NY 16: Paul Delvaux.ASkeleton with Shell. 1944. ©SABAM
KunsthausZurich, donated byWalter Haefner. PhotoAKC London, Brussels/ DACS London 2000, PrivateCollection. Photo© Foundation
4: Hieronymus Bosch. TheGarden ofEarthly Delights,detail. Paul Delvaux. St. Idesbald, 17: Paul Delvaux, A Mermaid in Full
1505-10. Museodel Prado, Madrid. PhotoAKG London. 5: Giuseppe Moonlight. 1949, © SABAM Brussels/DACS London 2000.
Arcimboldo. Summer. 1563. Kunsthistorisches Museum.Vienna. Southampton CityArtGallery, Photo Bridgeman Art Library,
Photo Bridgeman Art Library, 6: Giorgio deChirico.The Songof 18: YvesTanguy. DaysofDelay. 1937 .? ARS NewYork/DACS
Love. 1914- © SIAE Rome/DACS London 2000, Museum ofModern London 2000, fvlusee National dArt Moderne, Pans, Photo Philippe
Art. NewYork. Nelson A, Rockefeller Bequest, Photo © 1999 MOMA. Migeat. Photothequedescollectionsdu Mnam-cci. 19: YvesTanguy.
Ny. 7t: Ma'cChagall. MeandtheVillage. 1911, © ADAGP Mama. Papa IsWounded. 1927 MuseumofModernArt. NewYork.
Paris/DACS London 2000, MuseumofModern Art. NewYork. Mrs, Purchase. Photo © 1999 MOMA. NY 20: Man Ray. CadeautThe
Simon Guggenheim Fund, Photo© 1999 MOMA. NY. 7b: Rene Gift), c. 1958. replica of 1921 onginal. © ADAGP Pans/DACS London
Magritte. Red Model. 1935, ®ADAGP Pans/DACS London 2000, 2000, Museum ofModern Art. NewYork,JamesThrall SobyFund.
Musee National d'Art Moderne. Pans, Photo PeterWilli/Bridgeman Photo © MOMA. NY 2It: Man Ray. Les Larmes (Tears) c. 1932. ©
Art Library, 8: Salvador Dali. Slave Marketwith Disappearing Bustof Man RayTrust/ADAC Pans/DACS London 2000, Photo ©Telimage.
Voltaire. 1940, © DEMART PROARTE, Pans bGeneva/DACS London Pans- 1999, 21b: Man Ray. A IHeurede lObservatoire- les
2000. Collection ofThe Salvador Dali Museum. St, Petersburg. Florida, Amoureux (ObservatoryTime). 1932-34, PrivateCollection, © Man
Photo© 1999TheSalvadorDali Museum Inc, 9t: SalvadorDali. RayTrust/ADAGPPans/DACS London 2000, Photo '0Telimage. Pans
Telephone-Homard (LobsterTelephone). 1936, © DEMARTPRO 1999, 22: Francis Picabia. Feathers. 1921, ©ADAGPPans/DACS
ARTE. Pans&Geneva/DACS London 2000, PhotoChnstie's Images/ London 2000, PrivateCollection, PhotoGiraudon. 23: Francis
Superstock. 9b: SalvadorDali. MetamorphosisofNarcissus. 1937, Picabia. The Handsome Pork Butcher. 1924-26b29-35, ©ADAGP
© DEMARTPROARTE. Pans6Geneva/DACS London 2000, Tate Pans/DACS London 2000, TateGallery London, PhotoTate Picture
Gallery. London, PhotoJohnV/ebb/Tate Picture Library 10: Rene Library 24: Pierre Roy. A Naturalists Study. 1928, ©ADAGP
Magntte.The ListeningRoom. 1952, KunsthausZurich, donated by Pans/DACS London 2000, TateGallery London, PhotoTate Picture
WRaelptreorduHcaeedf.ner1,93P7ho©toAADKAGGPLoPnadnosn/DAICISt:LRoenndeoMnag2r0it0t0e,MNuostetuombe LPiabnrsar/yDAC25S:LPoienrdroenRo2y0,00D,anMguerseounmthoefSMtoaidres,rn19A2rt7.-2N8,ew©YoArDk,AGGiPft
©BoiAjDmaAnCsPVaPnanBse/uDnAiCnSgenL.onRdootnte2r0d0a0m,,ThIelb:WiElulcilaimdeaHnooWdalDksu.nw1o9o55d,y oPfenArbosbey.AWlidrnigcehdRoDcokemfielnloer,-PPohrottroait©ofMVOaMleAn.tinNeYPen2r6o:seR.ol1a9n3d7,
Fund. Minneapolis InstituteofArts. Minnesota, Photo MIA, 12: Joan © EstateofSirRoland Penrose, PrivateCollection, 27: Roland
Miro. Person Throwinga Stone ata Bird. 1926, ©ADAGPPans/DACS Penrose. Seeing Is Believing-The Invisible Isle. 1937 © Estateof
London 2000, MuseumofModernArt. NewYork, Purchase, Photo © Sir Roland Penrose, PrivateCollection, 28t: MeretOppenheim,
1999 MOMA. NY I3t:Joan Miro.The HarlequinsCarnival. 1924- Lunch in Fur. 1936, © PRO LITERISZunch/DACS London 2000,
25. ©ADAGPPans/DACS London 2000, Albright KnoxGallery. MuseumofModern Art. NewYork. Purchase, Photo© MOMA. NY
tBuhfefaMloo.onP.ho1t9o26B.ri©dgAemDaAnGAPrtPaLnisb/raDryAC1S3b:LoJnoadnonMi2r0o0.0,DoPghilBaadreklipnhgiaat G2a8lbl:erCy.onLroonydoMna,ddPohxo.toPTaastseagPeicdteurelOLpiebrraar.y.192490t.:©LeotnhoeraartCisatr,nTnagtteon.
AMtustheeumFirsotfCAlret.arAW.oEr.dG.all1a9t2i3n.C©ollAeDctAioGnP, PPhaontso/DPAMCAS,Lo1n4:doMnax20E0r0nst. CBoalblyecGtiiaonnt,.Ph19o4t7o,B©riAdRgeSmaNnewArtYoLribkr/aDryA,CS29Lbo:ndPoaunl2N0a0s0h,.PHriavrabtoer
KunstsamMiung Nordrhein-Westfalen. Dusseldorf, Photo PeterWilli/ and Room. 1932-36, © Theartistsestate, TateGallery. London,
Bridgeman Art Library. 15: Max Ernst:TwoChildrenAre Menaced PhotoTate Picture Library.
CONTENTS
1
Surrealist Dreams
Salvador Dali 8
Rene Magritte 10
Joan Miro 12
Max
Ernst 14
Paul Delvaux 16
Yves Tanguy 18
Man Ray 20
Francis Picabia 22
Pierre Roy 24
Roland Penrose 26
More Surrealism
Find Out More 30
Index 32
Useful words are explained on page 30.
DRmMS
SURRE/]UST
g
Surrealism was an artistic and literary movement, at its
height in the 1920s and 1930s. The Surrealists were in revolt
against everyday reality and logic, and they aimed to shock
and disturb people. Surrealist art is based on dreams and
fantasies. It is filled with strange happenings and
impossible meetings and mixings of images.
Surrealism began soon after World War I, which Surrealism was in some ways a continuation
lasted from 1914 to 1918. Millions died during of Dada, but its outlook was more positive.
the war, and its horrors made many poets and In 1924. a French poet named Andre Breton
artists feel that "progress," reason, and logic had founded the first Surrealist group in Paris.
failed. As early as 9 6, a movement called Dada Breton said that artists should not copy reality,
1 1
was poking fun at society and its ideas. but should paint their dreams and imaginings.
Breton and his friends described
their ideas as surreal. The word
means "more than real." To Breton,
dreams were mental realities. They
were the secret driving force behind
human actions - so they were more
real than "real life." He wrote that
"Surrealism is based on the belief in
the superior reality of the dream."
Breton was soon joined by gifted
poets and painters. Surrealism
became an international movement,
attracting artists from outside
France. Most of them visited Paris
and some settled there. Although
they had similar ideas. Surrealist
artists had different ways of
working. Some painted scenes that
were carefully composed, no matter
how bizarre the content. Others
practiced automatism - that is, they
tried not to think about what they
were writing or painting, putting
down unforeseen words or images.
GIUSEPPE
ARCIMBOLDO
HIERONYMUS BOSCH
Summer
The Garden of Earthly Delights
1563, oil paint on canvas
(Detail) 1505-10, oil paint and tempera on panel
The Surrealists also admired the work of
Bosch was a Dutch artist who lived 500 years ago. Giuseppe Arcimboldo, a sixteenth-century
He can be seen as a very early Surrealist. Instead Italian artist. He painted portraits made up of
of painting what he saw around him. he conjured fruits and vegetables, such as this summery
up imaginary scenes ofweird and fearful man. His nose is a zucchini, his lips are
happenings. His works are nightmarish visions, cherries, his teeth are a pea pod, and his cheek
full of giant birds, monstrous fish, and people is a peach! Arcimboldo used one object to
trapped in transparent bubbles. The Surrealists represent another. The Surrealists, too, often
admired Bosch's unique style, and were amazed made pictures that can be seen in two ways.
that he had created these pictures so long ago.
Besides dreams, the Surrealists were interested By the 1930s, the Surrealists were holding
in madness, memory, chance, and coincidence. international exhibitions. They liked to play
They often put everyday objects in unexpected pranks and create scandals, so they became very
settings, and mixed very different ideas and images. well known. When France was invaded in World
For example, natural objects such as fruit and War II (1939-45), many Surrealists fled to the
animals could be mixed v^ith abstract shapes. USA. After this, the movement faded away.
The Surrealists were
strongly influenced by
the Italian painter Giorgio
de Chirico. This picture
was painted by de
Chirico some time before
the Surrealist movement
began, but, like Surrealist
art, it is full of surprises
and contradicts our ideas
of reality. The title seems
to have nothing to do
with what is in the
painting. Instead of
lovers, we see a strange
mixture of objects: a large
rubber glove, a sculpted
head, and a green ball. They are out of scale
GIORGIO DE CHIRICO
with one another and with the side of the
The Song of Love house, whose wall is almost filled by the head
and glove. To the left, a smokestack blows a
1914. oil paint on canvas puff of steam - or is it a floating cloud?