The Magnetic Fields

work by Breton and Soupault

Also known as: “Les Champs magnétiques”

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June 30, 2026

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The Magnetic Fields (Les Champs magnétiques) is a seminal work of Surrealism, co-authored by Philippe Soupault and André Breton and published in 1920. It is recognized as the first major Surrealist work and a prime example of "automatic writing". This technique involves writing in a hypnotic or trancelike state, recording thoughts without conscious censorship or formal structure, aiming to express the creative force of the unconscious. While this method was influential, little of lasting artistic value is noted from the Surrealists' attempts at automatic writing.123

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Philippe Soupault
…authored Les Champs magnétiques (1920; The Magnetic Fields), known as the first major Surrealist work. Soupault soon abandoned automatic writing to produce carefully crafted verses such as those in Westwego (1922) and Georgia (1926). As the Surrealist movement became increasingly dogmatic and political, Soupault grew dissatisfied with it and eventually…
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…authored Les Champs magnétiques (1920; The Magnetic Fields), known as the first major Surrealist work. Soupault soon abandoned automatic writing to produce carefully crafted verses such as those in Westwego (1922) and Georgia (1926). As the Surrealist movement became increasingly dogmatic and political, Soupault grew dissatisfied with it and eventually…
Read More