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!

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Print, Per un teatre, Joan Miró

Per un teatre

Joan Miró

Print - 76 x 56 x 0.5 cm Print - 29.9 x 22 x 0.2 inch

€4,600

Print, Wunderhorn, Max Ernst

Wunderhorn

Max Ernst

Print - 32.5 x 25 x 0.1 cm Print - 12.8 x 9.8 x 0 inch

€1,200 €900

Print, Pastorale, Salvador Dali

Pastorale

Salvador Dali

Print - 76.2 x 55.9 x 0.5 cm Print - 30 x 22 x 0.2 inch

€3,943

Print, C'est bien, Max Ernst

C'est bien

Max Ernst

Print - 38 x 28 cm Print - 15 x 11 inch

€650

Print, Barb IV, Joan Miró

Barb IV

Joan Miró

Print - 66.5 x 50.5 x 0.5 cm Print - 26.2 x 19.9 x 0.2 inch

€3,599

Print, Composition, Max Ernst

Composition

Max Ernst

Print - 46 x 34 x 0.1 cm Print - 18.1 x 13.4 x 0 inch

€2,400

Print, Le Retour, René Magritte

Le Retour

René Magritte

Print - 58 x 78 x 0.2 cm Print - 22.8 x 30.7 x 0.1 inch

€1,390

Print, Scarabée, Max Ernst

Scarabée

Max Ernst

Print - 31.5 x 23.4 x 0.1 cm Print - 12.4 x 9.2 x 0 inch

€2,200

Painting, Cozy day, Olha Vlasova

Cozy day

Olha Vlasova

Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€600

Painting, Ribbons, Olha Vlasova

Ribbons

Olha Vlasova

Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€600

Print, Incisiva, Joan Miró

Incisiva

Joan Miró

Print - 92 x 64 cm Print - 36.2 x 25.2 inch

€14,300