Magic Realism
The turn of phrase of magic realism was invented by German photographer, art historian and art critic Franz Roh in 1925 when he wished to describe modern realist paintings that portrayed fantastical or dream-like topics as their subjects of attention. The term originates from Roh's book Nach Expressionismus: Magischer Realismus which translates as “After Expressionism: Magic Realism".
In 20th century European culture, Magic Realism partook in a reactionary movement against modern or avant-garde art, known as the return to order. This movement in the arts was largely founded around a philosophy that came as a result of the legacy of the First World War. Magic realist artists included Giorgio de Chirico, Alberto Savinio and others in Italy, and Alexander Kanoldt and Adolf Ziegler in neighboring Germany. Magic Realism is closely related to the dreamlike depictions of Surrealism and Neo-Romanticism in France. The term is also used to describe the work of certain painters from across the pond in America in the 1940s and 1950s including Paul Cadmus, Philip Evergood and Ivan Albright. It has also been known to describe the practices of literature, such as the writing of Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel García Márquez.
Discover on Artsper some of the best contemporary artists of the magic realist expression!
Save your search and find it in your favorites
Save your search to find it quickly
Saved search
Your search is accessible from the favorites tab > My favorite searches
Unsaved search
A problem occurred
Bouquet d’artichauts
Serge Kalinowski
Painting - 100 x 81 x 5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.9 x 2 inch
$2,605
Portrait de Geoffroy
Serge Kalinowski
Painting - 50 x 40 x 5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 2 inch
$1,043
Calligrammes - Rare book illustrated
Giorgio de Chirico
Print - 34 x 26 x 1 cm Print - 13.4 x 10.2 x 0.4 inch
$73,912
Walking in old Paris
Elena Shichko
Painting - 65 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,669
Childhood, Moments series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Rayon néon 21
Sébastien Fery-Voignier
Painting - 100 x 120 x 5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 2 inch
$2,623
Make a wish, "Moments" series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Touch of souls, "Moments" series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Solace, "Moments" series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
European vacation, Moments series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Peaceful morning, Moments series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Daisies, Moments series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Tile."Moments" series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Tulip, Moments series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Ghost, Moments series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Hold my hand, Moments series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Wedding, Moments series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$477
Direct connection
Sébastien Fery-Voignier
Painting - 175 x 150 x 1 cm Painting - 68.9 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch
$3,696
Eléphant de Triomphe
Salvador Dali
Sculpture - 53 x 25 x 14.5 cm Sculpture - 20.9 x 9.8 x 5.7 inch
$59,511
Beauty, Romanticization series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 16 x 12.5 x 0.5 cm Painting - 6.3 x 4.9 x 0.2 inch
$417
Reminiscence
Rosemary Achata
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 70 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 27.6 inch
$793
Fantasy Art III (una joven con la paloma)
Vesna Udicki Vucetic
Painting - 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$2,503
Déjeuner dans l’herbe
Serge Kalinowski
Painting - 114 x 146 x 5 cm Painting - 44.9 x 57.5 x 2 inch
$4,351
Try to Wear Me
Nino Eliashvili
Fine Art Drawings - 68 x 53 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 26.8 x 20.9 x 0 inch
$2,980
Light Corset
Nino Eliashvili
Fine Art Drawings - 56 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$2,146
I Hissing
Nino Eliashvili
Fine Art Drawings - 47 x 62 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.5 x 24.4 x 0 inch
$1,192
G-Love
Nino Eliashvili
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 52.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 20.7 x 0 inch
$2,027
Fluffy Style
Nino Eliashvili
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 65 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 25.6 x 0 inch
$1,788
Blued Lightness
Nino Eliashvili
Fine Art Drawings - 55.5 x 47 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 21.9 x 18.5 x 0 inch
$1,907
My Beautiful Garden
Elena Shichko
Painting - 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$2,861
Paradise life or paradise lost?
Elena Shichko
Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$2,980
Blu aquatic dream
Sébastien Fery-Voignier
Painting - 100 x 120 x 5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 2 inch
$2,027
Puesta del sol
Vesna Udicki Vucetic
Painting - 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$2,205
Danseuse de porcelaine
Serge Kalinowski
Painting - 116 x 89 x 5 cm Painting - 45.7 x 35 x 2 inch
$3,040
Moments of Bliss
Tetiana Pchelnykova
Painting - 50 x 35 x 1.8 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.7 inch
$536
Frienship, Gardens of Resilience series
Tetiana Pchelnykova
Painting - 50 x 50 x 1.8 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.7 inch
$536
Besties, Vacation on the Happy Island serie
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 40 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$536
Flower boutique, Vacation on the Happy Island serie
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 40 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$536
Myth's Majesty Bull
Tetiana Pchelnykova
Painting - 35 x 50 x 1.8 cm Painting - 13.8 x 19.7 x 0.7 inch
$536
Loving heart, Spring series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 40 x 24 x 1.5 cm Painting - 15.7 x 9.4 x 0.6 inch
$477
Heartbeat, Spring serie
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 45 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 17.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$417
Berehynia: Rebirth on the Meadow
Tetiana Pchelnykova
Painting - 30 x 60 x 1.8 cm Painting - 11.8 x 23.6 x 0.7 inch
$417
Le marché aux poissons
Serge Kalinowski
Painting - 130 x 97 x 5 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 2 inch
$3,040
Finger Crossed
Nino Eliashvili
Fine Art Drawings - 63 x 47 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24.8 x 18.5 x 0 inch
$3,219
Portrait de Femme dans Roseraie
Serge Kalinowski
Painting - 43.5 x 40 x 3 cm Painting - 17.1 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch
$477
Tea time, Sweet Home series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 49.5 x 29.5 x 2 cm Painting - 19.5 x 11.6 x 0.8 inch
$536
Can't stop, Can't hold
Elena Shichko
Painting - 70 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch
$3,755
