Surrealism: Difference between revisions

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(npov thrived > continued through, leading character > major participant, famous > + references to popularity of Picasso and Dali; added citations; + details about Guillaume Apollinaire and André Breton and who was credited with the term 'surrealism'; added headers; ced intro; fixed citation format)
 
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a movement in literature and visual art that started in France in the second decade of the twentieth century and thrived in the inter-war period. It originated from [[Dadaism]], a movement created during the First World War that created anti-art and negated reasoning, but took a different path from its precursor because surrealism created new, positive form of art.
[[Image:Persistence_of_Memory.jpg|thumb|right|"Persistence of Memory" by Salvador Dali (1931)]] '''Surrealism''' was a movement in literature and visual art that started in France in the second decade of the twentieth century and continued through the inter-war period. It originated from [[Dadaism]], a movement that began during the First World War that created anti-art and negated reasoning. Surrealism took a different path from its precursor, using the new "'positive' ideas which were to implement the purely negative and destructive outlook of Dadaism."<ref>{{cite book |last=Samuel |first=R.H. |date=1973 |chapter=Surrealism |title=Cassell’s Encyclopedia of World Literature |volume=1 |page=537}}</ref>


The term ‘super-realism’ was first used by Guillaume Apollinaire in 1918, but ‘surrealism’ has been introduced by André Breton, a former Dadaist, in his first manifesto of surrealism ''Manifeste du surréalisme'' in 1924. He defined this new movement as: “Pure psychic automatism, by which it is intended to express whether verbally or in writing, or in any other way, the real process of thought. It is the dictation of thought, free from any control by the reason and any aesthetic or moral preoccupation.” (Breton).
The creation of the term ‘surrealism’ is credited to [[Guillaume Apollinaire]] in 1917,<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.thecollector.com/guillaume-apollinaire-surrealism-french-poet/ | title = Guillaume Apollinaire: Cubist, Orphist, Surrealist | last = Ellison | first = Thomas | date = Aug 19, 2021 | website = TheCollector  | publisher = TheCollector | access-date = Nov 7, 2023 }}</ref> but ‘surrealism’ was defined by [[André Breton]], a former Dadaist, in his ''[https://www2.hawaii.edu/~freeman/courses/phil330/MANIFESTO%20OF%20SURREALISM.pdf Manifesto of Surrealism]'' in 1924.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://magazine.artland.com/art-movement-surrealism/ | title = Guillaume Art Movement: Surrealism | last = Wolfe | first = Shira | website = Artland Magazine  | publisher = Artland | access-date = Nov 7, 2023 }}</ref> He defined this new movement as: “Psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express -- verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner -- the actual functioning of thought. Dictated by the thought, in the absence of any control exercised by reason, exempt from any aesthetic or moral concern.”


Surrealism was based on a belief that the world of the unconscious mind, where dreams and fantasies resided, is much better than the world of the conscious mind dictated by logic and reason.
Surrealism was based on a belief that the world of the unconscious mind, where dreams and fantasies resided, is much better than the world of the conscious mind dictated by logic and reason. {{Citation needed}}


In literature, the leading character was André Breton, who defined surrealism not as a ‘poetic form’, but a ‘machine’ that recorded thoughts. There were no aesthetic or moral boundaries that limited writers because it was spontaneity that was important. Therefore in pursue of that, many writers often applied the theories of Sigmund Freud and wrote in hypnoses. Other writers representing surrealism were Paul Éluard, Jean Cocteau, Guillaume Apollinaire and Louis Aragon.
==Surrealism in Literature==
In literature, a major participant was André Breton, who defined surrealism not as a "poetic form," but a "machine" that recorded thoughts.{{sfn|Samuel|1973}} There were no aesthetic or moral boundaries that limited writers because it was spontaneity that was important. Therefore, in pursuit of spontaneity, many writers often applied the theories of [[Sigmund Freud]] and wrote in hypnoses.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.apollo-magazine.com/surrealism-andre-breton/ | title = The violence and creativity of André Breton’s Surrealism
| last = Polizzotti | first = Mark | date = April 5, 2022 | website = Apollo the International Art Magazine | publisher = Apollo | access-date = Nov 7, 2023 }}</ref> Other writers representing surrealism were [[Paul Éluard]], [[Jean Cocteau]], Guillaume Apollinaire, and [[Louis Aragon]].


In paintings, surrealists tried to capture the dreams and fantasies and then reproduce them in forms available to the conscious mind. Thus in paintings strange objects with abnormal shapes, colors, and proportions were very common. By that they combined two realities together and made a ‘super-reality’ or surrealism. Among painters of surrealism there were Joan Miró, Max Ernst and famous Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dali.
==Surrealism in Visual Arts==
 
In paintings, surrealists tried to capture the dreams and fantasies and then reproduce them in forms available to the conscious mind.<ref>{{cite book |last= Cuddon |first= J.A. |date=1991 |chapter=Surrealism |title= A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory |edition=3rd |page=936}}</ref> Thus, strange objects with abnormal shapes, colors, and proportions were very common in paintings. They combined two realities together and made a ‘super-reality’ or surrealism. Among painters of surrealism there were Joan Miró, Max Ernst, [http://www.picasso.fr/anglais/ Pablo Picasso], and [http://www.dali-gallery.com/html/dali.php Salvador Dali]. At his death, Pablo Picasso had created around 45,000 pieces of artwork, and in 1980 his estate was appraised to be worth $250 million though experts believe it to be worth billions.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2016/03/picasso-multi-billion-dollar-empire-battle | title = The Battle for Picasso’s Multi-Billion-Dollar Empire | last = Esterow | first = Milton | date = March 7, 2016 | website = Vanity Fair | publisher = Vanity Fair | access-date = Nov 7, 2023 }}</ref> Salvador Dali has two museums devoted to his work: the [https://www.salvador-dali.org/en/museums/dali-theatre-museum-in-figueres/ Dali Theatre-Museum] and the [https://thedali.org/ Salvador Dali Museum].
 
[[Image:Persistence_of_Memory.jpg]]
 
"Persistence of Memory," oil on canvas by Salvador Dali, 1931; in the [http://www.moma.org/ Museum of Modern Art], New York (9.5 x 13 in.). The most famous painting of the most famous surrealist.
 
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[[Literary Terms]]
[[Literary Terms]]


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==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}


== Works Cited ==
[[Category:Literary Terms]][[Category:World Literature]]
* "Surrealism." ''The New Encyclopaedia Britannica.'' Fifteenth Edition. Volume 11. 1998
* Breton, André. ''Manifesto du Surréalisme.'' 1924
* Samuel, R.H. "Surrealism." ''Cassell's Encyclopaedia of World Literature.'' Volume 1. 1973
* Wentworth-Sheilds, Francis William. "Surrealism." ''Encyclopaedia Britannica.'' Volume 21. 1966

Latest revision as of 23:13, 7 November 2023

"Persistence of Memory" by Salvador Dali (1931)

Surrealism was a movement in literature and visual art that started in France in the second decade of the twentieth century and continued through the inter-war period. It originated from Dadaism, a movement that began during the First World War that created anti-art and negated reasoning. Surrealism took a different path from its precursor, using the new "'positive' ideas which were to implement the purely negative and destructive outlook of Dadaism."[1]

The creation of the term ‘surrealism’ is credited to Guillaume Apollinaire in 1917,[2] but ‘surrealism’ was defined by André Breton, a former Dadaist, in his Manifesto of Surrealism in 1924.[3] He defined this new movement as: “Psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express -- verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner -- the actual functioning of thought. Dictated by the thought, in the absence of any control exercised by reason, exempt from any aesthetic or moral concern.”

Surrealism was based on a belief that the world of the unconscious mind, where dreams and fantasies resided, is much better than the world of the conscious mind dictated by logic and reason.[citation needed]

Surrealism in Literature

In literature, a major participant was André Breton, who defined surrealism not as a "poetic form," but a "machine" that recorded thoughts.[4] There were no aesthetic or moral boundaries that limited writers because it was spontaneity that was important. Therefore, in pursuit of spontaneity, many writers often applied the theories of Sigmund Freud and wrote in hypnoses.[5] Other writers representing surrealism were Paul Éluard, Jean Cocteau, Guillaume Apollinaire, and Louis Aragon.

Surrealism in Visual Arts

In paintings, surrealists tried to capture the dreams and fantasies and then reproduce them in forms available to the conscious mind.[6] Thus, strange objects with abnormal shapes, colors, and proportions were very common in paintings. They combined two realities together and made a ‘super-reality’ or surrealism. Among painters of surrealism there were Joan Miró, Max Ernst, Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dali. At his death, Pablo Picasso had created around 45,000 pieces of artwork, and in 1980 his estate was appraised to be worth $250 million though experts believe it to be worth billions.[7] Salvador Dali has two museums devoted to his work: the Dali Theatre-Museum and the Salvador Dali Museum.

Literary Terms

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Samuel, R.H. (1973). "Surrealism". Cassell’s Encyclopedia of World Literature. 1. p. 537.
  2. ↑ Ellison, Thomas (Aug 19, 2021). "Guillaume Apollinaire: Cubist, Orphist, Surrealist". TheCollector. TheCollector. Retrieved Nov 7, 2023.
  3. ↑ Wolfe, Shira. "Guillaume Art Movement: Surrealism". Artland Magazine. Artland. Retrieved Nov 7, 2023.
  4. ↑ Samuel 1973.
  5. ↑ Polizzotti, Mark (April 5, 2022). "The violence and creativity of André Breton's Surrealism". Apollo the International Art Magazine. Apollo. Retrieved Nov 7, 2023.
  6. ↑ Cuddon, J.A. (1991). "Surrealism". A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory (3rd ed.). p. 936.
  7. ↑ Esterow, Milton (March 7, 2016). "The Battle for Picasso's Multi-Billion-Dollar Empire". Vanity Fair. Vanity Fair. Retrieved Nov 7, 2023.
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