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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Painting, Golafre, Joan Miró

Golafre

Joan Miró

Painting - 101.8 x 72.5 x 0.04 cm Painting - 40.1 x 28.5 x 0 inch

$269,097

Fine Art Drawings, Non title, Joan Miró

Non title

Joan Miró

Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 26 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 10.2 x 0.2 inch

$29,250

Fine Art Drawings, Daydream, Nino Eliashvili

Daydream

Nino Eliashvili

Fine Art Drawings - 41.5 x 29.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.3 x 11.6 x 0 inch

$936

Print, Canoe, Peter Doig

Canoe

Peter Doig

Print - 59.5 x 75 cm Print - 23.4 x 29.5 inch

$5,265

Painting, Rebel, Nino Eliashvili

Rebel

Nino Eliashvili

Painting - 100.5 x 70.5 x 3 cm Painting - 39.6 x 27.8 x 1.2 inch

$3,510

Fine Art Drawings, Landscape, Giorgio de Chirico

Landscape

Giorgio de Chirico

Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 19 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 5.1 x 7.5 x 0.1 inch

$12,285

Print, Holiday, Lars Tunebo

Holiday

Lars Tunebo

Print - 49.5 x 37 cm Print - 19.5 x 14.6 inch

$584

Fine Art Drawings, Memories, Rosemary Achata

Memories

Rosemary Achata

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 51 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 20.1 inch

$608

Painting, Landscape, Antonio Donghi

Landscape

Antonio Donghi

Painting - 38 x 49 x 1 cm Painting - 15 x 19.3 x 0.4 inch

$52,065

Sculpture, Adalyn, Françoise Leblond

Adalyn

Françoise Leblond

Sculpture - 40 x 29 x 0.5 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 11.4 x 0.2 inch

$1,053

Print, Kyoto, Teddy Gardez

Kyoto

Teddy Gardez

Print - 80 x 60 x 0.2 cm Print - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch

$679

Sculpture, Le Violon, Terzo Yan

Le Violon

Terzo Yan

Sculpture - 35 x 12 x 5 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 4.7 x 2 inch

$1,169

Painting, Nos Récoltes, Yutao Ge

Nos Récoltes

Yutao Ge

Painting - 100 x 100 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1 inch

$4,095

Sculpture, Botero, Ludo Gianroma

Botero

Ludo Gianroma

Sculpture - 22 x 28 x 2 cm Sculpture - 8.7 x 11 x 0.8 inch

$445

Fine Art Drawings, Look at yourself, Amber MA

Look at yourself

Amber MA

Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 17 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.1 x 6.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,579

Print, The Kiss, Salvador Dali

The Kiss

Salvador Dali

Print - 40 x 25 x 0.2 cm Print - 15.7 x 9.8 x 0.1 inch

$1,755

Print, Apollon, Salvador Dali

Apollon

Salvador Dali

Print - 75.5 x 53.7 x 0.1 cm Print - 29.7 x 21.1 x 0 inch

$2,106

Print, Anemone, Salvador Dali

Anemone

Salvador Dali

Print - 35 x 25 x 0.1 cm Print - 13.8 x 9.8 x 0 inch

$2,574

Print, Old Age, Salvador Dali

Old Age

Salvador Dali

Print - 60.8 x 43 x 0.1 cm Print - 23.9 x 16.9 x 0 inch

$2,106

Print, The Dance, Salvador Dali

The Dance

Salvador Dali

Print - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$1,404

Painting, Untitled, Teppei Ikehila

Untitled

Teppei Ikehila

Painting - 33 x 33 x 3 cm Painting - 13 x 13 x 1.2 inch

$725