Surrealism is an artistic and literary movement that emerged in the early 20th century, stemming from the Dada movement and influenced by the aftermath of World War I. André Breton, known for his First Surrealist Manifesto, played a key role in defining the movement. Major Surrealist artists such as Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, and Frida Kahlo explored themes of dreams, the unconscious, eroticism, and death through techniques like automatism and frottage, creating works that juxtaposed disparate elements to evoke the marvelous and provoke thought.