Surrealism (Art Essentials)

'Achieves a remarkable balance between well-known examples of surrealist paintings, objects and sculpture and unusual works … wonderfully fresh' Dawn Ades Surrealism was launched as a literary and artistic movement by French poet André Breton in 1924, and by the time of his death in 1966 had become one of the most popular art movements of the 20th century. Its very name has entered everyday usage as a synonym for bizarre. Taking the reader on a narrative journey through the history of Surrealism, this book is a digestible introduction to the movement’s key figures, their works and where to find them. Complete with a glossary of key terms and chronology, this addition to the Art Essentials series provides an indispensable resource for anyone interested in learning about this most influential of art phenomena.

About the Author

Amy Dempsey is an art historian who studied under Rosalind Krauss at Hunter College in New York and received her doctorate from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Dempsey has written for various London museums, including Tate, and is the author of Styles, Schools & Movements: The Essential Encyclopaedic Guide to Modern Art, Destination Art, and Modern Art in the Art Essentials series.