About
André Breton, born in Tinchebray, Normandy, studied medicine and psychiatry. During World War I, he worked in neurological wards and discovered Freud's theories of the unconscious. In 1919, he co-founded the review Littérature with Louis Aragon and Philippe Soupault. With Soupault, he published Les Champs magnétiques (1920), the first example of automatic writing. In 1924, he wrote the Manifeste du surréalisme, defining Surrealism as 'pure psychic automatism.' He is the author of Nadja (1928) and numerous essays. After a brief membership in the French Communist Party (1927-1935), he went into exile in the United States during World War II, then returned to Paris in 1946, where he continued to lead the Surrealist movement until his death.
* 1896-02-19 — † 1966-09-28
Major works
- Les Champs magnétiques (1920)automatic writing
- Manifeste du surréalisme (1924)manifesto
- Nadja (1928)novel
- Le Surréalisme et la peinture (1926-1965)essay
- Pour un art révolutionnaire indépendant (1938)pamphlet
Key milestones
- 1919Co-founded the review Littérature with Louis Aragon and Philippe Soupault.
- 1924Published the Manifeste du surréalisme, the founding text of the movement.
- 1941Went into exile in the United States and the Caribbean, fleeing Vichy France.
Themes
the unconsciousautomatic writingdreamfreedomlove
Sources: catalogue.bnf.fr · britannica.com · id.loc.gov