Lee Miller Kay Sage Leonor Fini

Frida Kahlo Dora Maar Leonora Carrington Meret Oppenheim Eileen Agar

Remedies Varo Claude Cahum Dorothea Tanning

Women of Surrealism

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Introduction – Browsing Areas – Subject Terms – Key Sources – Dictionaries – Encyclopedias – Indexes and Bibliographies – Miscellaneous Print Reference Sources – On-Line Sources

Introduction

Surrealism is a literary and artistic movement which began in the mid 1920’s in which the artists and writers were trying to unlock the unconscious mind. They were specifically inspired by the writings of Sigmund Freud. The term surrealism was coined by the poet Guillaume Apollinaire in 1917. The movement however, does not officially begin until 1924 when André Breton writes the Surrealist Manifesto.

While Surrealism has been studied extensively, the women of the movement have not, which is unfortunate since they played a major role in the movement, both as artists and as subjects.

This pathfinder has been created to help find information and conduct research on the women of surrealism. This pathfinder is specific to the University of South Florida Tampa Library, all of these resources can be found in the Tampa Library at the University of South Florida, unless otherwise stated.

Eileen Agar: Angel of Anarchy

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Browsing Areas

The following library of congress call number headings correspond to the subject of art and books on Surrealism will be found within these sections of the library.

N = Visual Arts NX= Art in General TR= Photography

Remedios Varo: Alchemy

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Subject Terms

The following is a sampling of terms to use when searching in databases. In addition to the terms don’t forget to use artist names.

Surrealism – Women Artists – Feminism and the Arts – Arts, Modern -- 20^th Century - Psychoanalysis

Dora Maar: Pere Ubu

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Key Sources

These are the primary sources one uses when looking at women and the Surrealist movement. It is of the utmost importance that these sources are consulted when researching women and Surrealism.

Breton’s Surrealist Manifesto IS THE primary source on Surrealism; it explains and defines what surrealism is from the founding members’ point of view.

Breton, A. (1969). Manifestoes of surrealism (R. Seaver, H. Lane R. Trans.). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Studying Freud, particularly his writings on dreams, dream symbolisms, and fetishism, are extremely important as Freud’s theories were the preeminent subconscious theories studied by Surrealists.

Freud, S. (1953-1966). In Strachey J. (Ed.). The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud. (J. Strachey, A. Freud, A. Strachey & A. Tyson Trans.). London: Hogarth Press.

It is important to look at the two works by Chadwick as she is considered the preeminent author on the subject of Women and Surrealism, and these works are considered to be the paramount writings on the subject. Chadwick, W. (Ed.). (1998). Mirror images: Women, surrealism, and self-representation. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Chadwick, W. (1985). Women artists and the surrealist movement (1st ed.). Boston, MA: Little, Brown.

Dorothea Tanning: Eine Kliene Nachtmusik

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Dictionaries

Yale Dictionary of Arts and Artists – This dictionary contains a nice entry on surrealism listing the people involved in the movement. It also contains individual entries on a few of the female surrealists. There is a nice entry on Frida Kahlo, which contains biographical information on her accidents as well as her relationship with Diego Rivera.

Langmuir, E., & Lynton, N. (Eds.). (2000). The Yale dictionary of art and artists. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

A Biographical Dictionary of Women Artists in Europe and America Since 1850 – This source contains many of the surrealist women, and provides basic biographical information including some information on the artist’s training, as well as cursory information on the subject matter of the artist’s work

Biographical dictionary of women artists in Europe and America since 1850(1990). In Dunford P. (Ed.). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

The Dictionary of Art – This dictionary provides a thorough overview of the Surrealist movement. The entry is divided into time periods; there is an entire section devoted to the visual arts. There is an entry for almost all of the female Surrealists. The source provides a list of surrealist writings, as well as a bibliography and a listing of exhibition catalogs.

Turner, J. (Ed.). (1996). The dictionary of art. New York: Grove's Dictionaries.

Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Art and Artists – A nice brief but good definition of surrealism; includes entries on a few of the female Surrealists. Read, H. (Ed.). (1994). The Thames and Hudson dictionary of art and artists (expanded and updated ed.). New York: Thames and Hudson.

The Grove Dictionary of Art: From Expressionism to Post-Modernism – Provides a nice comprehensive overview of surrealism; however there are no individual artist entries. There is a listing of surrealist writings and a bibliography.

Turner, J. (Ed.). (2000). The grove dictionary of art. From expressionism to post modernism: Styles and movements in 20th-century western art. New York: St. Martin's Press.

The Prestel Dictionary of Art and Artists in the 20th Century – This source has a definition of Surrealism and contains entries on nearly every female Surrealist. The entries include brief biographies, information subject matter and mediums, which the artists worked and some exhibitions that the artists participated in.

Schmied, W., Whitford, F., & Zöllner, F. (Eds.). (2000). The Prestel dictionary of art and artists in the 20th century. Munich: Prestel.

Frida Kahlo: Henry Ford Hospital

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Encyclopedias

Encyclopedia of World Art - Contains a very thorough entry on surrealism including its dada origins, as well as theory and development and characteristics of surrealist art.

Carson, B., Brainerd, R., & Dorothy, C. (Eds.). (1959-1968). Encyclopedia of world art. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Praeger Encyclopedia of Art – Provides a nice overview of surrealism as well as an entry on Dorothea Tanning.

Bell, D. (Ed.). (1971). Praeger encyclopedia of art. New York: Praeger Publishers.

Encyclopedia of the Arts – Provides a brief entry on Surrealism and it lists all of artists involved in the movement.

Runes, D. D., & Schrickel, H. G. (Eds.). (1946). Encyclopedia of the arts. New York: Philosophical Library.

Facts on File Encyclopedia of Art – Provides an entry on Dada and Surrealism, giving an overview of the movements and how they are related. Also talks about specific works, but they are all by male Surrealists. The source provides a bibliography pointing to works about Surrealism in general.

Gowing, L. (Ed.). (2005). Facts on file encyclopedia of art. New York: Facts on File.

Leonora Carrington: Three Cats

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Indexes and Bibliographies

Bibliography of the History of Art – Like the title implies this source is a comprehensive bibliography on the history of art. When using this source one should search in a multitude of ways; one should look up everything and anything associated with their topic. For example Women and Surrealism should be approached by looking up Surrealism, specific artist artists, titles of works, the issue being researched (i.e. fetishism or feminism).

Bibliography of the history of art (1996). Santa Monica, CA: J. Paul Getty Trust, Getty Art History Information Program.

Women in the Fine Arts: A Bibliography and Illustration Guide – By looking up a particular artist one is able to find writing by that artist or about the artist. This source includes a great entry on Whitney Chadwick.

Anderson, J. A. (1991). Women in the fine arts: A bibliography and illustration guide. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland.

Women Artists: An Historical, Contemporary, and Feminist Bibliography – This is a great source, it provides publications on women in general as well as entries on specific artists that include a brief biography of the artist, and it lists additional sources on the specific artist, and tells the type of information you will find in the publication.

Piland, S. (1994). Women artists: An historical, contemporary, and feminist bibliography (2nd ed.). Metuchen, N.J: Scarecrow Press.

Art Index – This resource is an index to both foreign and domestic publications, including periodicals, yearbooks, and museum bulletins. By looking up the movement and or artist one will be directed to relevant publications.

Dougan, A. M., & Furlong, M. (Eds.). Art index. New York: H. W. Wilson.

Index to Artistic Biography. First Supplement – This resource directs one to biographies on particular artists.

Havlice, P. P. (1981). Index to artistic biography. first supplement. Metuchen, N.J: Scarecrow Press.

Art Books: A Basic Bibliography of Monographs on Artists – This source directs one to monographs on artists.

Freitag, W. M. (Ed.). (1997). Art books : A basic bibliography of monographs on artists (2nd ed.). New York: Garland Pub.

Kay Sage: Hyphen

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Miscellaneous Print Reference Sources

The Oxford Companion to Art – This source provides a nice definition and overview of Surrealism.

Osborne, H. (Ed.). (1970). The oxford companion to art. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

World Cultural Leaders of the Twentieth Century – This source contains a nice comprehensive biography of Andre Breton, the founder of Surrealism, it helps in seeing the thought process behind his theories on what Surrealism is. The source also has an entry on Kahlo, which provides general information on her biography and her painting.

Durham, J. L. (2000). World cultural leaders of the twentieth century. Santa Barbara CA: ABC-CLIO.

The Bulfinch Guide to Art History: A Comprehensive Survey and Dictionary of Western Art and Architecture –This source has a nice entry on surrealism, which mentions a few of the female Surrealists. What is great about this source is that it contains a chapter entitled “Women as Artists and Subjects.” As the female Surrealists played important as both artists and subjects this chapter may provide insightful information.

West, S. (Ed.). (1996). The Bulfinch guide to art history: A comprehensive survey and dictionary of western art and architecture (1st North American ed.). Boston: Bulfinch Press.

The Art Lover's Almanac: Serious Trivia for the Novice and the Connoisseur – This source provides a brief definition of Surrealism, and lists all the artists involved in the movement, and their birth and death dates, and nationality.

Hume, H. D. (Ed.). (2003). The art lover's almanac: Serious trivia for the novice and the connoisseur. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Meret Oppenheim: Object

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On-Line Resources

The following electronic resources are available to USF students and faculty through the USF Library System. These databases must be accessed on the USF campus or by connecting remotely through blackboard.

Art full text and Art Index Retrospective – Article databases

JSTOR Art and Art History –Article database

AMICA –Image database

Saskia – Image database

Bibliography of the History of Art – On-line version of the print resource described above.

Grove Art Online – Online encyclopedia of art. Scholars of art and art history consider this source to be an authority in the field.

Leonor Fini: Ileria

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