Surrealism (World of Art) [Paperback]

Patrick Waldberg (Author)

Book Description

Series: World of Art | Publication Date: May 17, 1997

"An excellent picture of a movement which...has had a profound effect on the arts of the twentieth century."—The Times Educational Supplement

The character of Surrealism had been crystallizing over the previous five years when, in 1924, Andre Breton's Manifeste du Surrealisme defined the word. As conceived in those early days it was not so much a formal movement as a spiritual orientation, embracing ethics and politics as well as the arts. Recourse to dreams, to the unconscious, to chance factors, to automatism dictated the Surrealist mode. Patrick Waldberg prefaces this collection of key documents with an overview of Surrealism from its beginnings to the present time. 197 illustrations, 8 in color

Editorial Reviews

Review

Waldberg sensibly gives the bulk of his space to the actual documents of the movement—the manifestos, the editorials, the outcries. Breton, Desnos, Eluard, Aragon, Ernst—these and others are represented. The pictorial documentation is even more lavish—here are all the major figures connected with the movement, 'taken from the life,' often by the perceptive camera of Man Ray. (The Listener )

About the Author

Patrick Waldberg (1913-1985) was a American surrealist poet and the first biographer of Max Ernst. Born in Santa Monica, he was educated in France.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (May 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500200408
• ISBN-13: 978-0500200407
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #652,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Surrealism

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Customer Reviews

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The power & beauty of the Unconscious, August 13, 2010

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William Timothy Lukeman - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Surrealism (World of Art) (Paperback)

"Surrealism" is a much used & much abused word these days, vaguely signifying something strange or out of the ordinary, with as much substance as the vapid "Awesome!" -- but it's so much more than that. For those who hunger for something rich, beautiful, and always transforming, here's a fine introduction to the real thing. Patrick Waldberg gives us a fine history & overview of the movement, making the crucial point that Surrealism wasn't merely a new movement in art, but a philosophy, a way of perceiving the world -- "a spiritual orientation," as noted on the back cover copy. As such, it encompassed not only all fields of art -- painting, poetry, prose, etc. -- but offered a new way of living, one that cut through the numbing cocoon of everyday society & reconnected with something vital & astonishing -- "The Marvelous," as the Surrealists put it.

Little more than 120 pages long, this slim volume offers a wide selection of paintings, etchings, drawings, and photographs -- and not just by the usual suspects, either! Just as importantly, it offers excerpts from major Surrealist documents, letting the artists & writers speak for themselves, so that the reader gets an unfiltered, unmediated look at their thought. If you're at all intrigued, the biographical notes will send you in search of more information & work by these visionary men & women. As John Lennon once said, "Surrealism had a great effect on me because then I realised that the imagery in my mind wasn't insanity. Surrealism to me is reality." As it was to these explorers of the psyche!


Highly recommended!