The Key to Dreams

Surrealist masterpieces take center stage in “The Key to Dreams,” a landmark exhibition presented by the Fondation Beyeler.

A forest of symbols and a theater of dreams, the show traces the surreal logic of the unconscious mind through works from the Collection Hersaint—one of the most significant private holdings of Surrealist art. Featuring paintings by Max Ernst, Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Joan Miró, Dorothea Tanning, and others, the exhibition explores central themes of the movement: metamorphosis, eroticism, dream states, and the forest as a site of mystery.

Formed by banker Claude Hersaint, who acquired his first Max Ernst at just 17, the collection is presented in dialogue with works from the Fondation Beyeler’s own holdings, revealing deep resonances and shared visions across time.