How did Freud influence Surrealism?

Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theories profoundly shaped Surrealism. His ideas about the unconscious mind, dream interpretation, free association, and repressed desires provided a theoretical framework for Surrealist practice. Freud proposed that dreams expressed unconscious wishes in symbolic, disguised form, giving Surrealists a model for artistic imagery. His concept of the uncanny influenced the movement’s interest in the strange-within-familiar. Artists sought to access the unconscious through automatic techniques and dream imagery. While Freud himself was skeptical of Surrealist art (famously telling Dali he was more interested in his conscious artistry than unconscious content), his theories remain foundational to understanding Surrealism’s goals and methods.