The Surrealist movement that developed in Europe following the devastation of World War I emerged out of a feeling by writers and artists that the world itself was going mad - and that they, the artists, were the sane ones. This introduction to Surrealism shows how the movement swept energetically through all kinds of media as artists found expression in the interaction between an imaginative pictorial language and an often-oppressive intensity of expression. The result was unique works that have lost nothing of their irresistible attraction to this day. Each work is featured on a beautifully illustrated double-page spread. An informative text highlights each work's classic characteristics as well as unusual aspects, its significance in the Surrealist movement, and its influence on the history of art in general and on contemporary art. Including brief biographies of each artist, this book is a beautifully illustrated primer to Surrealism.