Surrealism at the Centre Pompidou

Just a 15-minute walk from the Relais du Louvre, the Centre Pompidou houses one of the world’s three largest collections of modern and contemporary art, alongside New York’s MoMA and London’s Tate. This collection, comprising over 100,000 works by 6,400 artists, represents an exceptional artistic treasure trove.

With your ticket for the Surrealism exhibition, you’ll have access to the museum’s permanent collections, which we highly recommend you see.

Surrealism

With paintings, drawings, films, photographs and literary documents, the exhibition celebrates the anniversary of the movement, born in 1924 with the publication of André Breton’s Manifesto. The exhibition follows a chronological and thematic itinerary, structured into 14 chapters that highlight the literary figures who influenced the movement. It features an exceptional collection of some of the most emblematic works of Surrealism.

The exhibition introduces its subject with a projection of just under 360°, recounting the birth of the Surrealist movement and evoking its great names.

Here is a selection of works we particularly liked.

Premonitory portrait of Guillaume Apollinaire by Giorgo de Chirico: This work can be considered premonitory because it depicts a thin white circle, similar to a target, on the temple of a shadowy figure of its subject, precisely where the latter would be struck by shrapnel in 1916.

René Magritte – La durée poignardée (1938): This hyper-realistic work was commissioned by surrealist patron Edward James. René Magritte intended the painting for the staircase of James’s house, to give the impression that the train was stabbing everyone who passed by, but it was never hung there.

This depiction of a man assaulting a naked woman is one of the important paintings from this period (1928), when Magritte’s art explored dark, sinister themes linking eroticism and violence.

A pretty view that’s impossible to miss

En sortant de l’exposition au dernier niveau du musée, il vous sera offert l’une des plus jolies vues de Paris.

Permanent collections

You won’t be able to see everything. So you’ll have to choose from six thematic collections. These cover modern art, contemporary art, photography, design, new media and cinema, with major works.

The Surrealism exhibition and the museum’s permanent collections will provide you with a rewarding and entertaining half-day. Located in the lively Beaubourg district, just a 15-minute walk from the Relais du Louvre, the Centre Pompidou and its Surrealism exhibition are well worth a visit if you’re planning a trip to Paris in the near future. Don’t forget to book online!

Centre Pompidou
Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris
https://www.centrepompidou.fr/fr/