André Robert Breton (; ; 19 February 1896 – 28 September 1966) was a French writer and poet, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of

surrealism Surrealism is an art movement, art and cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists aimed to allow the unconscious mind to express itself, often resulting in the depiction of illogical or dreamlike s ...

. His writings include the first ''

Surrealist Manifesto The Surrealist Manifesto refers to several publications by Yvan Goll and André Breton, leaders of rival Surrealism, surrealist groups. Goll and Breton both published manifestos in October 1924 titled ''Manifeste du surréalisme''. Breton wrote ...

'' (''Manifeste du surréalisme'') of 1924, in which he defined surrealism as " pure psychic automatism". Along with his role as leader of the surrealist movement he is the author of celebrated books such as '' Nadja'' and ''L'Amour fou''. Those activities, combined with his critical and theoretical work on writing and the plastic arts, made André Breton a major figure in twentieth-century French art and literature.

Biography

André Breton was the only son born to a family of modest means in Tinchebray (

Orne Orne (; or ) is a département in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne. It had a population of 279,942 in 2019.Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

, France. His father, Louis-Justin Breton, was a policeman and

atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...

, and his mother, Marguerite-Marie-Eugénie Le Gouguès, was a former seamstress. Breton attended medical school, where he developed a particular interest in

mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...

. His education was interrupted when he was conscripted for World War I. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he worked in a neurological ward in

Nantes Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...

, where he met the

Alfred Jarry Alfred Jarry (; ; 8 September 1873 – 1 November 1907) was a French Artistic symbol, symbolist writer who is best known for his play ''Ubu Roi'' (1896)'','' often cited as a forerunner of the Dada, Surrealism, Surrealist, and Futurism, Futurist ...

devotee Jacques Vaché, whose anti-social attitude and disdain for established artistic tradition influenced Breton considerably. Vaché committed

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

when aged 23, and his war-time letters to Breton and others were published in a volume entitled '' Lettres de guerre'' (1919), for which Breton wrote four introductory essays. Breton married his first wife, Simone Kahn, on 15 September 1921. The couple relocated to rue Fontaine 42 in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

on 1 January 1922. The apartment on rue Fontaine (in the Pigalle district) became home to Breton's collection of more than 5,300 items: modern paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, books, art catalogs, journals, manuscripts, and works of popular and Oceanic art. Like his father, he was an atheist.

From Dada to Surrealism

Breton launched the review '' Littérature'' in 1919, with

Louis Aragon Louis Aragon (; 3 October 1897 – 24 December 1982) was a French poet who was one of the leading voices of the Surrealism, surrealist movement in France. He co-founded with André Breton and Philippe Soupault the surrealist review ''Littératur ...

and

Philippe Soupault Philippe Soupault (2 August 1897 – 12 March 1990) was a French writer and poet, novelist, critic, and political activist. He was active in Dadaism and later was instrumental in founding the Surrealist movement with André Breton. Soupault ini ...

. He also associated with

Dada Dada () or Dadaism was an anti-establishment art movement that developed in 1915 in the context of the Great War and the earlier anti-art movement. Early centers for dadaism included Zürich and Berlin. Within a few years, the movement had s ...

ist

Tristan Tzara Tristan Tzara (; ; ; born Samuel or Samy Rosenstock, also known as S. Samyro; – 25 December 1963) was a Romanian and French avant-garde poet, essayist and performance artist. Also active as a journalist, playwright, literary and art critic, c ...

. In '' Les Champs Magnétiques'' (''The Magnetic Fields''), a collaboration with Soupault, he implemented the principle of

automatic writing Automatic writing, also called psychography, is a claimed psychic ability allowing a person to produce written words without consciously writing. Practitioners engage in automatic writing by holding a writing instrument and allowing alleged sp ...

. With the publication of his ''

'' in 1924 came the founding of the magazine ''

La Révolution surréaliste ''La Révolution surréaliste'' (English: ''The Surrealist Revolution'') was a publication by the Surrealists in Paris. Twelve issues were published between 1924 and 1929. Shortly after releasing the first ''Surrealist Manifesto'', André Bret ...

'' and the

Bureau of Surrealist Research The Bureau of Surrealist Research, also known as the Centrale Surréaliste or Bureau of Surrealist Enquiries, was a Paris-based office in which a loosely affiliated group of Surrealism, Surrealist writers and artists gathered to meet, hold discussi ...

. A group of writers became associated with him: Soupault,

Paul Éluard Paul Éluard (), born Eugène Émile Paul Grindel (; 14 December 1895 – 18 November 1952), was a French poet and one of the founders of the Surrealist movement. In 1916, he chose the name Paul Éluard, a matronymic borrowed from his maternal ...

, René Crevel, Michel Leiris, Benjamin Péret,

Antonin Artaud Antoine Maria Joseph Paul Artaud (; ; 4September 18964March 1948), better known as Antonin Artaud, was a French artist who worked across a variety of media. He is best known for his writings, as well as his work in the theatre and cinema. Widely ...

, and

Robert Desnos Robert Desnos (; 4 July 1900 – 8 June 1945) was a French poet who played a key role in the Surrealist movement. Early life Robert Desnos was born in Paris on 4 July 1900, the son of a licensed dealer in game and poultry at the '' Halles'' ma ...

. Eager to combine the themes of personal transformation found in the works of Arthur Rimbaud with the politics of

Karl Marx Karl Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, political theorist, economist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. He is best-known for the 1848 pamphlet '' The Communist Manifesto'' (written with Friedrich Engels) ...

, Breton and others joined the

French Communist Party The French Communist Party (, , PCF) is a Communism, communist list of political parties in France, party in France. The PCF is a member of the Party of the European Left, and its Member of the European Parliament, MEPs sit with The Left in the ...

in 1927, from which he was expelled in 1933. '' Nadja'', a novel about his imaginative encounter with a woman who later becomes mentally ill, was published in 1928. Due to the

economic depression An economic depression is a period of carried long-term economic downturn that is the result of lowered economic activity in one or more major national economies. It is often understood in economics that economic crisis and the following recession ...

, he had to sell his art collection and rebuilt it later. In December 1929, Breton published the ''Second manifeste du surréalisme'' (''Second manifesto of surrealism''), which contained an oft-quoted declaration for which many, including

Albert Camus Albert Camus ( ; ; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, journalist, world federalist, and political activist. He was the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the s ...

, reproached Breton: "The simplest surrealist act consists, with revolvers in hand, of descending into the street and shooting at random, as much as possible, into the crowd". In reaction to the ''Second manifesto'', writers and artists published in 1930 a collective collection of pamphlets against Breton, entitled (in allusion to an earlier title by Breton) '' Un Cadavre''. The authors were members of the surrealist movement who were insulted by Breton or had otherwise opposed his leadership. The pamphlet criticized Breton's oversight and influence over the movement. It marked a divide amidst the early surrealists. Georges Limbour and

Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes (June 19, 1884 – July 9, 1974) was a French writer, poet, playwright, and painter associated with the Dada movement. He was born in Montpellier and died in Saint-Jeannet. In addition to numerous early paintings, R ...

commented on the sentence where shooting at random in the crowd is described as the simplest surrealist act. Limbour saw in it an example of buffoonery and shamelessness and Ribemont-Dessaignes called Breton a hypocrite, a cop and a priest. After the publication of this pamphlet against Breton, the ''Manifesto'' had a second edition, where Breton added in a note: "While I say that this act is the simplest, it is clear that my intention is not to recommend it to all merely by virtue of its simplicity; to quarrel with me on this subject is much like a bourgeois asking any non-conformist why he does not commit suicide, or asking a revolutionary why he hasn't moved to the USSR". In 1935, there was a conflict between Breton and the

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

writer and journalist Ilya Ehrenburg during the first International Congress of Writers for the Defense of Culture, which opened in Paris in June. Breton had been insulted by Ehrenburgalong with all fellow surrealistsin a pamphlet which said, among other things, that surrealists shunned work, favouring

parasitism Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The en ...

, and that they endorsed " onanism,

pederasty Pederasty or paederasty () is a sexual relationship between an adult man and an adolescent boy. It was a socially acknowledged practice in Ancient Greece and Rome and elsewhere in the world, such as Pre-Meiji Japan. In most countries today, ...

fetishism A fetish is an object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular, a human-made object that has power over others. Essentially, fetishism is the attribution of inherent non-material value, or powers, to an object. Talismans and amulet ...

, exhibitionism, and even

sodomy Sodomy (), also called buggery in British English, principally refers to either anal sex (but occasionally also oral sex) between people, or any Human sexual activity, sexual activity between a human and another animal (Zoophilia, bestiality). I ...

". Breton slapped Ehrenburg several times on the street, which resulted in surrealists being expelled from the Congress. René Crevel, who according to

Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (11 May 190423 January 1989), known as Salvador Dalí ( ; ; ), was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, ...

was "the only serious

communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

among surrealists", was isolated from Breton and other surrealists, who were unhappy with Crevel because of his

bisexuality Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, ...

and annoyed with communists in general. In 1938, Breton accepted a cultural commission from the French government to travel to

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. After a conference at the

National Autonomous University of Mexico The National Autonomous University of Mexico (, UNAM) is a public university, public research university in Mexico. It has several campuses in Mexico City, and many others in various locations across Mexico, as well as a presence in nine countri ...

about surrealism, Breton stated after getting lost in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

(as no one was waiting for him at the airport) "I don't know why I came here. Mexico is the most surrealist country in the world." However, visiting Mexico provided the opportunity to meet

Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky,; ; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky'' was a Russian revolutionary, Soviet politician, and political theorist. He was a key figure ...

. Breton and other surrealists traveled via a long boat ride from Patzcuaro to the town of Erongarícuaro.

Diego Rivera Diego Rivera (; December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957) was a Mexican painter. His large frescoes helped establish the Mexican muralism, mural movement in Mexican art, Mexican and international art. Between 1922 and 1953, Rivera painted mural ...

and

Frida Kahlo Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón (; 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954) was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by Culture of Mexico, the country' ...

were among the visitors to the hidden community of intellectuals and artists. Together, Breton and Trotsky wrote the '' Manifesto for an Independent Revolutionary Art'' (published under the names of Breton and Diego Rivera) calling for "complete freedom of art", which was becoming increasingly difficult with the world situation of the time.

World War II and exile

Breton was again in the medical corps of the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...

at the start of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The Vichy government banned his writings as "the very negation of the national revolution"Franklin Rosemont ''André Breton and the First Principles of Surrealism'', 1978, . and Breton escaped, with the help of the American Varian Fry and Hiram "Harry" Bingham IV, to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

during 1941. He emigrated to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and lived there for a few years. In 1942, Breton organized a groundbreaking surrealist exhibition at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

. In 1942, Breton collaborated with artist

Wifredo Lam Wifredo Óscar de la Concepción Lam y Castilla (; December 8, 1902 – September 11, 1982), better known as Wifredo Lam, was a Cuban artist who sought to portray and revive the enduring Afro-Cubans, Afro-Cuban spirit and culture. Inspired by ...

on the publication of Breton's poem "Fata Morgana", which was illustrated by Lam. Breton got to know Martinican writers

Suzanne Césaire Suzanne Césaire (; ; née Roussi; 11 August 1915, Poterie des Trois-Ilets, Martinique – 16 May 1966, Yvelines) was a French writer, teacher, scholar, anti-colonial and feminist activist, and Surrealist. She co-founded the Martinique cultural j ...

and

Aimé Césaire Aimé Fernand David Césaire (; ; 26 June 1913 – 17 April 2008) was a French poet, author, and politician from Martinique. He was "one of the founders of the Négritude movement in Francophone literature" and coined the word in French. He ...

, and later composed the introduction to the 1947 edition of Aimé Césaire's '' Cahier d'un retour au pays natal''. During his exile in New York City he met Elisa Bindhoff, the

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

an woman who would become his third wife. In 1944, he and Elisa traveled to the

Gaspé Peninsula The Gaspé Peninsula, also known as Gaspesia (, ; ), is a peninsula along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River that extends from the Matapedia Valley in Quebec, Canada, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is separated from New Brunswick on it ...

Québec Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...

, where he wrote ''Arcane 17'', a book which expresses his fears of World War II, describes the marvels of the Percé Rock and the extreme northeastern part of North America, and celebrates his new romance with Elisa. During his visit to

Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...

in 1945–46, he sought to connect surrealist politics and automatist practices with the legacies of the

Haitian Revolution The Haitian Revolution ( or ; ) was a successful insurrection by slave revolt, self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign state of Haiti. The revolution was the only known Slave rebellion, slave up ...

and the ritual practices of Vodou possession. Recent developments in Haitian painting were central to his efforts, as can be seen from a comment that Breton left in the visitors' book at the Centre d'Art in

Port-au-Prince Port-au-Prince ( ; ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Haiti, most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 1,200,000 in 2022 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894. The me ...

: "Haitian painting will drink the blood of the phoenix. And, with the epaulets of ean-JacquesDessalines, it will ventilate the world." Breton was specifically referring to the work of painter and Vodou priest Hector Hyppolite, whom he identified as the first artist to directly depict Vodou scenes and the lwa (Vodou deities), as opposed to hiding them in chromolithographs of Catholic saints or invoking them through impermanent vevé (abstracted forms drawn with powder during rituals). Breton's writings on Hyppolite were undeniably central to the artist's international status from the late 1940s on, but the surrealist readily admitted that his understanding of Hyppolite's art was inhibited by their lack of a common language. Returning to France with multiple paintings by Hyppolite, Breton integrated this artwork into the increased surrealist focus on the occult, myth, and magic. Breton's sojourn in Haiti coincided with the overthrow of the country's president,

Élie Lescot Antoine Louis Léocardie Élie Lescot (; December 9, 1883 – October 20, 1974) was the President (government title), President of Haiti from May 15, 1941 to January 11, 1946. He was a member of the country's mixed-race elite. He used the politic ...

, by a radical protest movement. Breton's visit was warmly received by ''La Ruche'', a youth journal of revolutionary art and politics, which in January 1946 published a talk given by Breton alongside a commentary which Breton described as having "an insurrectional tone". The issue concerned was suppressed by the government, sparking a student strike, and two days later, a general strike: Lescot was toppled a few days later. Among the figures associated with both ''La Ruche'' and the instigation of the revolt were the painter and photographer Gérald Bloncourt and the writers René Depestre and Jacques Stephen Alexis. In subsequent interviews Breton downplayed his personal role in the unrest, stressing that "the misery, and thus, the patience of the Haitian people, were at the breaking point" at the time and stating that "it would be absurd to say that I alone incited the fall of the government". Michael Löwy has argued that the lectures that Breton gave during his time in Haiti resonated with the youth associated with ''La Ruche'' and the student movement, resulting in them "plac(ing) them as a banner on their journal" and "t(aking) hold of them as they would a weapon". Löwy has identified three themes in Breton's talks which he believes would have struck a particular chord with the audience, namely surrealism's faith in youth, Haiti's revolutionary heritage, and a quote from Jacques Roumain extolling the revolutionary potential of the Haitian masses.

Later life

Breton returned to Paris in 1946, where he opposed French colonialism (for example as a signatory of the ''

Manifesto of the 121 The Manifesto of the 121 (), was an open letter signed by 121 intellectuals and published on 6 September 1960 in the magazine ''Vérité-Liberté''. It called on the French government, then headed by the Gaullist Michel Debré, and public opi ...

'' against the

Algerian War The Algerian War (also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence) ''; '' (and sometimes in Algeria as the ''War of 1 November'') was an armed conflict between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (Algeri ...

) and continued, until his death, to foster a second group of surrealists in the form of expositions or reviews ('' La Brèche'', 1961–65). In 1959, he organized an exhibit in Paris. Breton consistently supported the francophone Anarchist Federation and he continued to offer his solidarity after the Platformists around founder and Secretary General Georges Fontenis transformed the FA into the Fédération communiste libertaire (FCL). André Breton died at the age of 70 in 1966, and was buried in the Cimetière des Batignolles in Paris.

Legacy

Breton as a collector

Breton was an avid collector of art,

ethnographic Ethnography is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. It explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject of the study. Ethnography is also a type of social research that involves examining ...

material, and unusual trinkets. He was particularly interested in materials from the northwest coast of North America. During a

financial crisis A financial crisis is any of a broad variety of situations in which some financial assets suddenly lose a large part of their nominal value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with Bank run#Systemic banki ...

he experienced in 1931, most of his collection (along with that of his friend Paul Éluard) was auctioned. He subsequently rebuilt the collection in his studio and home at 42 rue Fontaine. The collection grew to over 5,300 items: modern paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, books, art catalogs, journals, manuscripts, and works of popular and Oceanic art. French anthropologist

Claude Lévi-Strauss Claude Lévi-Strauss ( ; ; 28 November 1908 – 30 October 2009) was a Belgian-born French anthropologist and ethnologist whose work was key in the development of the theories of structuralism and structural anthropology. He held the chair o ...

endorsed Breton's skill in authentication based on their time together in 1940s New York. After Breton's death on 28 September 1966, his third wife, Elisa, and his daughter, Aube, allowed students and researchers access to his archive and collection. After thirty-six years, when attempts to establish a surrealist foundation to protect the collection were opposed, the collection was auctioned by Calmels Cohen at Drouot-Richelieu. A wall of the apartment is preserved at the

Centre Georges Pompidou The Centre Pompidou (), more fully the (), also known as the Pompidou Centre in English and colloquially as Beaubourg, is a building complex in Paris, France. It was designed in the style of high-tech architecture by the architectural team of ...

."Surrealist Art", Centre Pompidou - Art Culture Mus. 11 March 2010
centrepompidou.fr
Nine previously partly unpublished manuscripts, including the ''Manifeste du surréalisme'', were auctioned by

Sotheby's Sotheby's ( ) is a British-founded multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine art, fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, an ...

in May 2008.

Personal life

Breton married three times: * from 1921 to 1931, to Simone Collinet, ''

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

'' Kahn (1897–1980); * from 1934 to 1943, to Jacqueline Lamba, with whom he had his only child, a daughter, ; * from 1945 to 1966 (his death), to Elisa Bindhoff Enet.

Works

*1919: ''Mont de piété'' Mount of piety"">Mount_of_piety.html" ;"title="Mount of piety">Mount of piety"*1920: ''S'il vous plaît'' – Published in English as: ''If You Please'' *1920: ''Les Champs magnétiques'' (with

) – Published in English as: ''The Magnetic Fields'' *1923: ''Clair de terre'' – Published in English as: ''Earthlight'' *1924: ''Les Pas perdus'' – Published in English as: ''The Lost Steps'' *1924: '' Manifeste du surréalisme'' – Published in English as: ''Surrealist Manifesto'' *1924: ''Poisson soluble'' Soluble fish"*1924: '' Un cadavre'' A corpse"*1926: ''Légitime défense'' Legitimate defense"*1928: ''Le Surréalisme et la peinture'' (expanded editions in 1945 and 1965) – Published in English as: ''Surrealism and Painting'' *1928: '' Nadja'' (expanded edition 1963) – Published in English as: ''Nadja'' *1930: ''Ralentir travaux'' Slow down, men at work"(with René Char and

) *1930: '' Deuxième Manifeste du surréalisme'' – Published in English as: ''The Second Manifesto of Surrealism'' *1930: ''L'Immaculée Conception'' (with Paul Éluard) – Published in English as: ''Immaculate Conception'' *1931: ''L'Union libre'' Free union"*1932: ''Misère de la poésie'' Poetry's misery"*1932: ''Le Revolver à cheveux blancs'' The white-haired revolver"*1932: ''Les Vases communicants'' (expanded edition 1955) – Published in English as: ''Communicating Vessels'' *1933: ''Le Message automatique'' – Published in English as: '' The Automatic Message'' *1934: ''Qu'est-ce que le surréalisme?'' – Published in English as: ''What Is Surrealism?'' *1934: ''Point du jour'' – Published in English as: ''Break of Day'' *1934: ''L'Air de l'eau'' The air of the water"*1935: ''Position politique du surréalisme'' Political position of surrealism"*1936: ''Au lavoir noir'' At the black washtub"*1936: ''Notes sur la poésie'' Notes on poetry"(with Paul Éluard) *1937: ''Le Château étoilé'' The starry castle"*1937: ''L'Amour fou'' – Published in English as: ''Mad Love'' *1938: ''Trajectoire du rêve'' Trajectory of dream"*1938: ''Dictionnaire abrégé du surréalisme'' Abridged dictionary of surrealism"(with Paul Éluard) *1938: '' Pour un art révolutionnaire indépendant'' For an independent revolutionary art"(with

) *1940: '' Anthologie de l'humour noir'' (expanded edition 1966) – Published in English as: ''Anthology of Black Humor'' *1941: "Fata morgana" (A long poem included in subsequent anthologies) *1943: ''Pleine marge'' Full margin"*1944: ''Arcane 17'' – Published in English as: ''Arcanum 17'' *1945: ''Situation du surréalisme entre les deux guerres'' Situation of surrealism between the two wars" Young_Cherry_Trees_Secured_Against_Hares

Young_Cherry_Trees_Secured_Against_Hares

*1946: ''Yves Tanguy'' (monograph on Yves Tanguy) *1946: ''Les Manifestes du surréalisme'' (Expanded editions 1955 and 1962) – Published in English as: '' Manifestoes of Surrealism'' *1946: ''Young Cherry Trees Secured Against Hares – Jeunes cerisiers garantis contre les lièvres'' ilingual edition of poems translated by Edouard Roditi">Edouard_Roditi.html" ;"title="ilingual edition of poems translated by Edouard Roditi">ilingual edition of poems translated by Edouard Roditi *1947: ''Ode à Charles Fourier'' – Published in English as: ''Ode to Charles Fourier'' *1948: ''Martinique, charmeuse de serpents'' (with André Masson) – Published in English as: ''Martinique: Snake Charmer'' *1948: ''La Lampe dans l'horloge'' The lamp in the clock" *1948: ''Poèmes 1919–48'' Poems 1919–48"*1949: ''Flagrant délit'' Red-handed"*1952: ''Entretiens'' – Published in English as: ''Conversations: The Autobiography of Surrealism'' *1953: ''La Clé des champs'' – Published in English as: ''Free Rein'' *1954: ''Farouche à quatre feuilles'' Four-leaf feral"(with Lise Deharme,

Julien Gracq Julien Gracq (; born Louis Poirier; 27 July 1910 – 22 December 2007) was a French writer. He wrote novels, critiques, a play, and poetry. His literary works were noted for their dreamlike abstraction, elegant style and refined vocabulary. He ...

, Jean Tardieu) *1957: ''L'Art magique'' – Published in English as: ''Magical Art'' *1959: ''Constellations'' (with

Joan Miró Joan Miró i Ferrà ( , ; ; 20 April 1893 – 25 December 1983) was a Catalan Spanish painter, sculptor and Ceramic art, ceramist. A museum dedicated to his work, the Fundació Joan Miró, was established in his native city of Barcelona ...

) – Published in English as: ''Constellations'' *1961: ''Le la'' The A"!--?--> *1966: ''Clair de terre'' (Anthology of poems 1919–1936) – Published in English as: ''Earthlight'' *1968: ''Signe ascendant'' (Anthology of poems 1935–1961) Ascendant sign"*1970: ''Perspective cavalière'' – iterally: ''Cavalier perspective''*1988: ''Breton : Oeuvres complètes, tome 1'' Breton: The Complete Works, tome 1"*1992: ''Breton : Oeuvres complètes, tome 2'' Breton: The Complete Works, tome 2"*1999: ''Breton : Oeuvres complètes, tome 3'' Breton: The Complete Works, tome 3"

References

External links

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André Breton's ''Nadja''
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Breton, Andre 1896 births 1966 deaths People from Tinchebray-Bocage French Communist Party members French Trotskyists French anarchists French atheists Modernist writers French surrealist writers Surrealist poets Dada Libertarian socialists French Marxist writers Writers from Normandy 20th-century French poets 20th-century French novelists 20th-century French male writers Comité de vigilance des intellectuels antifascistes Burials at Batignolles Cemetery