In 1924, French writer André Breton published the 'Surrealist Manifesto,' defining the movement as 'pure psychic automatism.' Surrealism sought to bridge the gap between dreams and reality, heavily influenced by Sigmund Freud’s theories of the subconscious. Artists like René Magritte and Joan Miró used various techniques to bypass the 'rational' mind, such as 'frottage' (rubbing) and 'grattage' (scraping). Magritte's famous painting of a pipe with the caption 'Ceci n'est pas une pipe' (This is not a pipe) challenged the viewer's perception of representation versus reality. The movement wasn't just about art; it was a revolutionary philosophy that aimed to liberate the human imagination from the constraints of logic and social morality, leaving a permanent mark on film, literature, and fashion.