“A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say,” wrote Italo Calvino—words that not only define a literary classic but can easily be applied to any work of art that has endured the test of time.
Thanks to the publications by Minuti Arte Edition, the great artistic movements and their most iconic figures continue to speak to us today, through masterpieces that have shaped our cultural heritage and influenced us as human beings and as thinkers.

Minuti Menarini holds a unique place in the Italian publishing world, celebrating the deep and often overlooked connection between medicine and the humanities through its Art and Science editions.
This interdisciplinary approach mirrors Menarini’s broader philosophy, recognizing the essential role that both scientific rigor and artistic sensibility play in the human experience.

The latest issue of Minuti Arte Edition (No. 414) invites readers on a journey into the unconscious—from the birth of Surrealism, amid the turmoil between the two World Wars, to its enduring legacy today.

The birth and spread of Surrealism

On October 15, 1924, a defining moment in modern art history took place: the publication of the Manifesto of Surrealism by French poet André Breton.
“Imagination is nothing but the revelation of who we are, of our very substance, which is dream, purity, energy, and freedom,” Breton wrote, capturing the essence of a movement that sought to unleash the forces of fantasy, dreams, and the unconscious mind.
He defined Surrealism as pure psychic automatism, free from rational control and unburdened by aesthetic or moral concerns.

Surrealism’s power lay in its radical new artistic language, defying traditional conventions by juxtaposing seemingly unrelated elements.
Surrealist works gave rise to dreamlike realities that transcended the laws of physics and logic, using techniques such as collage and frottage to give tangible form to the visions of the subconscious.

In 1925, Paris’ Galerie Pierre hosted the first Surrealist painters’ exhibition—a collective of artists bound by a shared hope to elevate the human condition.
Unlike the Dadaists, who channeled disillusionment and nihilism, Breton and his contemporaries—including poets Paul Éluard, Philippe Soupault, Louis Aragon, Benjamin Péret, and painters such as Max Ernst, Yves Tanguy, Hans-Jean Arp, and Joan Miró—believed in the potential for a better future, putting their creativity at the service of social change.

Surrealism quickly spread beyond France, taking root in various countries and artistic disciplines.
In South America, Chilean poet Pablo Neruda drew inspiration from the movement, particularly in his work Residencia en la tierra;
in Italy, Tommaso Landolfi wove surreal elements into his stories;
and in Belgium, René Magritte infused Surrealist principles not only into his paintings but also into his theoretical and poetic writings.
Between 1931 and 1932, Surrealism crossed the Atlantic, reaching the United States through exhibitions by Dalí, Masson, Man Ray, De Chirico, and Picasso, leaving a lasting mark on generations of American artists.

A voyage into the depths of the mind

Surrealism emerged in response to the profound social crisis that followed the First World War. It challenged the rationalist values of a society disillusioned by the collapse of the Belle Époque and the horrors of the battlefield.
In this context, Surrealism found its intellectual foundation in the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud, particularly his exploration of dreams and the unconscious mind.
These ideas not only revolutionized the visual and literary arts but also extended into new forms of expression like cinema and photography.

The Surrealists set out with an ambitious goal: to tap into the hidden forces of the human psyche, buried deep within the unconscious.
From childhood, social rules and norms teach us to prioritize reason and order, often at the cost of suppressing our more primal impulses—which then resurface in our dreams.
The Surrealists sought to tear down the wall separating waking life from the dream world, liberating the unconscious through techniques such as automatic writing—a flow of words without logical order—and dreamlike imagery populated by fantastic beings.

“To enslave the imagination […] is the greatest folly,” declared Breton in the Manifesto.
Surrealism positioned itself as a liberating force, offering new ways of perceiving reality by giving form to the unconscious through bold, innovative artistic techniques.

Over time, Surrealism established itself not simply as an artistic movement but as a profound revolution of thought—a bid to free humanity from the constraining grip of rationalist society.
Through its publications, Minuti Arte Edition reminds us that Surrealism is not just an artifact of the past, but a living current that continues to challenge the way we see the world.

In today’s digital age, dominated by the logic of technology, the Surrealist message feels more urgent than ever:
Beyond appearances and conventions lies a rich, intricate inner world still waiting to be explored.

Discover the full range of Minuti Arte publications and be inspired by a cultural heritage that remains as rich as it is accessible.
Sign up on the Fondazione Menarini website to stay updated:
https://fondazione-menarini.com/en/reserved-area.html