A Freudian Analysis of surrealist works

This paper introduces dream theory and surrealism to the user and talks about the interrelationship of dreams and surrealist art. We all have dreams but we seldom acknowledge
them , but it plays a very important role in our conscious waking life [3].He paper looks on the
work of artists like Salvodar Dali and Max Emst to see their the inner content of the work
through analysis based on the theories proposed by Psychologist Sigmund Freud who
developed Psychoanalysis theory during 1920s known as a major breakthrough in the field of
psychology. Freuds work is based the Interpretation of dreams, where he looks at the symbols
and elements present in the dreams through logical reasoning based on his theory.[2]

Introduction
Dream analysis is the key component in understanding ones own self at a deeper level in the process of
becoming whole as a person. Dreams provide a continuous stream of symbolic commentary on inner
psychological structure and subconscious mind[2]. Sigmund Freud also known as the father of
psychoanalysis developed a dream theory in his book The Interpretation of Dreams in which he
described various dreams and investigated them[1]. Surrealism is an art movement in 1920s started by
Andre Breton. Surrealist visual artists used various techniques to extract images from unconscious
mind and depict them in paintings, films, sculptures etc. They often involve bizarre dreamy visuals and
unnatural juxtapositions of reality.[3] Whenever language fails to convey specific experience dream
imagery captures it vividly and authentically. So understanding these surreal artworks is analogous to
understanding dreams visually and directly through artists mind.[4]
Objective
The aim of this study is to analyze the famous surreal paintings using Freuds dream theory.
Methodology
Each painting is introduced by its context and then analyzed independently based on classification of
visual elements with the help of symbols involved in Freuds Interpretation of dreams. Providing short
term analysis in intervals eventually leading to a comprehensive interpretation of the art work.
An empirical approach is followed to read the visual elements of a particular artwork and to understand
the context of it.
Their symbolic meanings and interrelated drama is derived from the literature review of Freuds book.
Surrealism and Freudian Theory
In his Surrealist manifesto Andre Breton wrote that his main goal was to merge contradictory states of
dream and reality into an absolute reality a surreality. The surrealist movement was not just a
product of previous styles with cultural propaganda but rather a movement of self discovery. By
allowing the ideas to flow from the unconscious mind to the conscious we can help in the betterment of
our selves and our art - Andre Breton. Surrealists believed that art was created using innocent eye, the
unconscious. Most of them worked with psychological techniques where they use drugs and hypnosis
to get inside dream world and looked for unconscious images that werent available for conscious
mind. Breton consider those images as pure art and he also believes surrealists equate scientists
exploring new areas of minds with different methods of investigation.[3]
Surrealists are strongly influenced by the ideas of Freud. Freud inspired many Surrealists, but his ideas
are ideas are interpreted in two different ways leading to two types of surrealists. Automatists and
Veristic Surrealists. Automatists focused more on mood and emotional aspects of art. They created
abstract art and thought that these are the purest subconscious images and never needed to interpreted.
On the other side Veristic Surrealists believed in meaning of those images and are more investigative in
the form of metaphors. Automatists only see art where as Veristic Surrealists see meaning.[6]

The popularity of surrealism has garnered attention to Sigmund Freud works which were little known
before. The sales of his book The Interpretation of Dreams has gone up. In his book Freud riducules
the previously known ideas on dreams that were superstitious like receiving prophecies , foretelling an
event in dreams etc.[2]
According to Freud dreams consist of manifest content and latent content. Manifest content is direct
imagery which can be remembered easily. It consists of recognizable cognitive data. Although images
appear to be bizzare they can be clearly distinctive. Latent content is filled with hidden meanings and
symbols which normal cognition isnt aware of and contained unconscious motivations, drives and
desires. Free association is the process that he deviced to interpret dreams in which the client associates
with the symbol of his dream automatically. In further investigation he classified five seperate process
for dream analysis.[1]
1) Displacement: A persons desire for one thing is represented in another thing or in another person
2) Projection: happens when the dreamer places their own personal desires and wants onto another
person.
3) Symbolization: is illustrated through a dreamers unconscious allowing of repressed urges and
desires to be metaphorically acted out.
4) Condensation: illustrates the process by which the dreamer hides their feelings and/or urges through
either contraction or minimizing its representation into a brief dream image or event
5) Rationalization: can be identified as the final stage of dream work in which the dreaming mind
intently organizes an incoherent dream into something much more comprehensible and logical for the
dreamer.
Although Surrealist artworks derive their images from subconscious they often come through a screen
of rationale mind which tries to complicate meaning and moreover surreal artists tries to their show
their content as clearly as possible. So its up to the perciever to apply his various personal theory and
invent personal attachment with artwork. To avoid this too much of subjectivity in this study I have
sticked to the theory of Freud which he conformed with lot of clients.
Since surrealist themselves have taken a cue out of Frueds dream analysis Its logical accurate to go the
same way to interpret their wierdly complex paintings.
Analysis of Surreal art
Salvador Dali is a spanish painter known for his significant contribution to surrealism. One of his
famous painting is analysed below
Metamorphosis of Narcissus(fig 1) is Dalis first painting to be made entirely with paranoic critical
method where he relyed upon spontaneous irrational instincts. This is the first surreal artwork to gain a
lot of attention. According to greek mythology Narcissus is the son of nymph Leiriope and river god
Cessephus. After his birth he was predicted to have long life as long as he doesnt get to know about
himself.

1. Metamorphosis of Narcissus by Salvador Dali

Visual Elements & symbolic meanings

A shape like man(narcissus) resting his head on his knee staring at his reflection in the pool and
huge fire behind him
The above scene is in red and yellow tones.
Reflection represents self image, pools are for knowing ones own emotions, fire means
passion/love.

A man passionate for his self image experiencing grief while retrospecting his life

A huge hand looking similar to narcissus with an egg that has flower growing from it
Hands mean creativity, eggs are the symbols of potential/transition, flowers represent
beauty/pleasure.
Ants crawling up on the thumb of the hand towards egg and a dog behind eating meat
Ants represent weak/disturbance, dog eating flesh shows destruction
Surrounding the hand theres ash of the fire thats been put off and this whole scene of hand is
in blue and gray tones.

Narcissus creates something beautiful using his potential that transcended him from egoistic life but at
the expense of his passion that has prolonged enough. And his new creation is about to get disturbed

Behind narcissus there are group of naked woman among them some seem to be dancing and
others seem to be weeping against the stone.

His experiences with different women and their emotions towards him.

In the background of hand there is a statue of narcissus at the center of a chess board, facing
towards mountains.

Chessboard represents landscape of life, statue means attachment to his position/status

This shows his world view about himself of being the center of everything. [1,3,4]
Comprehensive interpretation
As the title suggests this is the metamorphosis of a greek figure called narcissus. The series of changes
that happen in his life is portrayed in a single timeline. Canvas is divided in four parts with four
differenet areas to focus on Dali told the story of Narcissus with layers of emotions.
It all started when Narcissus was young his beauty made him the object of desire where he was found
alone at the peak of his success. He rejected all the women but ended up loving his own self where he
constantly stares at his refleciton at a pool. Then he discovers that he couldnt embrace it forever and
dies out of frustration. After his death he gets transformed into flower named after his name. This
flower is approached by weak again to gain access to the human drama of love, death and
transformation. This process in psycho analysis is knows as narcissism. This death doesnt have to be
literal it could be a spiritual death.[2,6]

Elephant Celebs(fig 2) by German surrealist Max Ernst. This masterpiece combines the weird imagery
of surrealism and artistic style of dadaism. His main goal is to achieve hallucinatory effect on the
viewer. His influences are from the times he was in germen army in first world war .He justifies his
style that poetry that could be grasped by a dream state is produced by the proximity of two or more
unrelated realities on an apparently appropriate plane.
Visual elements & Symbolic meanings

Giant Metallic structure that resembles Elephant and monster with its head protruding out.
Metals signify strength/Inhumane character of society, Elephants mean desire to have great
strength

Evils of society with its thirst to grow bigger and tougher

The top of the elephant has an eye looking wide open

Eye indicates rivalry
This structure seems to be on a platform background is filled with sky It is partly covered of
trails of smoke and has fishes flying in the left.
Stage/platform means that some part of life is drawn to our attention. flying fishes symbolise
exchange of luck/spirtual transformation.

A man like structure facing elephant with his head replaced by flat wooden piece seems to be
holding gun on his shoulder. And a woman facing viewer with her feminine expressive poses.
head less beings represent repressed intelluct, guns means protection/destruction.
The red protruding thing from soldier is an erection which denotes his sexual urges

That man is giving his mindless protection to that metal gaint while ignoring his natural partner women
who is seeking love which is also mindless.[1,3,5]

2. Elephant celebs by Max Ernst

Comprehensive Interpretation
Max ernst is also a dadist, so his conter culture ideas could be noted. While his horryfying experiences
with war could make this giant elephant to be seen as mechanical miltary tank. Now the background
can be seen as War environment and the smoke trail suggests a plane that just got shot down. But the
fishes here are out of place. So this could be the underwater to represent control-less life of the soldier
and women where they live repressing their urges towards each other. Few people like politicans have
pleasure to control these machines with the control unit at center but always live in a sense of rivalry.So
naturally these machines turn out to be violent and sadistic which is apparent in its monostrous appeal.

This artwork is a social commentary on the situation of his times. Some people argue that this is the
Ernsts future prediction of humanity. Whatever he intended to say his bizzare dream setting continuous
to provoke thought.[2,3,6]

3.The persistence of memory

Another brilliant artwork by Salvado Dali where he conveys the insignificance of time in our spiritual
selves through dripping clocks that have been placed all over landscape.

Rene Magritte painted The Son of Man as a self-portrait with the

hope of conveying important messages about the individual. In regard
to the painting, Magritte stated that Everything we see hides another
thing. We always want to see what is hidden by what we see. There is
an interest in that which is hidden and which the visible does not
show us. This interest can take the form of a quite intense feeling, a
sort of conflict, one might say, between the visible that is hidden and
the visible that is present.

4. The son of a man

Yves Tanguys paintings exemplify more nonrepresentational surrealism and show vast, abstract
landscapes yet utilize a minimal amount of colors.
Conclusion
In childhood we used to play a lot with immense freedom, that was the tool for us to express our
creativity. But as we grow older we have become serious and got our thoughts narrowed down. Our
free spirit is repressed and is crying for its renewal through dreams. Analysing these dreams makes us
free. Studying dreams visually is more interactive than going through text. This paper could be used as
a case study for how to analyse a surreal artwork and ones own dreams.[1,2,6]