How did World War I contribute to the rise of Surrealism?

World War I was a pivotal catalyst for the rise of Surrealism, as the movement emerged as a direct reaction against the destruction and horrors of the conflict. Surrealists viewed the war as the ultimate culmination of the "rationalism" that had guided European culture and politics, which they held responsible for the widespread devastation.123

The movement’s development was shaped by several key factors related to the war:

• Rejection of Rationalism: Surrealists sought to bypass the social conventions and rational reflection they believed had led to the war, turning instead to the subconscious as a source of truth and creativity.123
• Influence of Dada: Surrealism grew out of the Dada movement, which had formed during the war as a protest against bourgeois values and the insanity of the conflict. While Dada was characterized by nihilism and anti-art, Surrealism adopted its preoccupation with the irrational, the bizarre, and the use of chance, but shifted the focus toward positive expression and the exploration of the unconscious.4315
• Psychological Exploration: Drawing on the theories of Sigmund Freud, Surrealists aimed to reunite the conscious and unconscious realms, believing that tapping into nonrational drives could offer an alternative to the failed rationalist order.236