Portrait of Roberto Matta

List of the 21 Most Famous Paintings by Roberto Matta

Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 21 works by Roberto Matta in our catalogue

Summary

The most widely known painting by Roberto Matta is Being With (Être Avec) (1946), in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The next entries are Untitled (1959) and The Disasters of Mysticism (1942). The catalogue documents 21 works by Roberto Matta; the 21 entries below are the best known, listed in rank order with date, holding museum and description.

1911 – 2002, Santiago Surrealism Most works: Israel Museum
Being With (Être Avec) (1946) by Roberto Matta1. Being With (Être Avec) 1946 Untitled (1959) by Roberto Matta2. Untitled 1959 The Disasters of Mysticism (1942) by Roberto Matta3. The Disasters of Mysticism 1942

Roberto Matta: the 10 principal paintings

1
Being With (Être Avec) (1946) by Roberto Matta

Being With (Être Avec)

1946 · Acrylic On Canvas · Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Roberto Matta's "Being With" (1946) isn’t merely a painting; it’s an immersion into the fractured, dreamlike landscape of the subconscious. Painted during his formative years in New York City – a period deeply influenced by the anxieties and transformations following World War II – this monumental canvas pulsates with a potent blend of Surrealist imagery, architectural distortion, and unsettling human forms. Matta, a Chilean artist who navigated the currents of…

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6
Les Oh! Tomobiles (1972) by Roberto Matta

Les Oh! Tomobiles

1972 · Etching · Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, D.C.

Roberto Matta’s "Les Oh! Tomobiles" immediately plunges the viewer into a dreamscape of mechanical whimsy and collective motion. This arresting black and white etching is not merely a depiction of objects in transit; it is a visual symphony capturing the restless energy of the mid-20th century, filtered through the profound lens of Surrealism. The composition itself feels like a captured moment from a feverish parade—a collision between the grounded reality…

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7
Being With (Être Avec) (1946) by Roberto Matta

Being With (Être Avec)

1946 · Oil On Canvas · Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Being With (Être Avec) is an artwork by Roberto Matta. Created in 1946, the piece emerged during a period when the artist was living in New York City. The work reflects the psychological and social shifts occurring in the aftermath of World War II.

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Roberto Matta: entries 11 to 21

11I Walk (1947) by Roberto MattaI Walk1947 · Israel Museum 12I Walk (1947) by Roberto MattaI Walk1947 · Israel Museum 13The Onyx of Electra (1944) by Roberto MattaThe Onyx of Electra1944 14My Blind (1946) by Roberto MattaMy Blind1946 15Inscape (1949) by Roberto MattaInscape1949 · Israel Museum 16The Spherical Roof Around our Tribe (Revolvers) (1952) by Roberto MattaThe Spherical Roof Around our Tribe (Revolvers)1952 17Glittering the Being (1955) by Roberto MattaGlittering the Being1955 · Art Institute of Chicago 18The Sphinx of DNA (1996) by Roberto MattaThe Sphinx of DNA1996 · Israel Museum 19Senza titolo (2009) by Roberto MattaSenza titolo2009 · Fondazione Hospice Seràgnoli Onlus 20Verbo América (1997) by Roberto MattaVerbo América1997 · Inter-American Development Bank 21Untitled (1949) by Roberto MattaUntitled1949

Principal subjects in the work of Roberto Matta

The four subjects most frequently represented among these works, each with its best-known example.

Dreamlike 2 works

Les Oh! Tomobiles (1972), Roberto Matta #6 Les Oh! Tomobiles 1972 · Inter-American Development Bank Snail's Trace (1937), Roberto Matta #8 Snail's Trace 1937

Abstract 2 works

Verbo América (1997), Roberto Matta #20 Verbo América 1997 · Inter-American Development Bank Snail's Trace (1937), Roberto Matta #8 Snail's Trace 1937

Roberto Matta: holding museums

The 6 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.

Museum City Works by Roberto Matta Paintings from this list
Israel Museum, JerusalemIsrael Museum Jerusalem 6 Untitled, Writing One's Cry (Ecrire son cri), I Walk
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkMetropolitan Museum of Art New York 2 Being With (Être Avec), Being With (Être Avec)
Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, D.C.Inter-American Development Bank Washington, D.C. 2 Les Oh! Tomobiles, Verbo América
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, MadridMuseo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía Madrid 1 Munda y desnuda, la libertad contra la opresión (Worldly and Nude, Freedom Against Oppression)
Art Institute of Chicago, ChicagoArt Institute of Chicago Chicago 1 Glittering the Being
Fondazione Hospice Seràgnoli Onlus, BolognaFondazione Hospice Seràgnoli Onlus Bologna 1 Senza titolo

Roberto Matta: principal painting of each decade

Works per decade

Select a decade to display its principal painting.

Roberto Matta's paintings: reference questions

Which painting by Roberto Matta is the most widely known?Display the answer

Being With (Être Avec) (1946), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The following entries are Untitled (1959) and The Disasters of Mysticism (1942).

What was the age of Roberto Matta when Being With (Être Avec) was painted?Display the answer

35 years: Roberto Matta was born in 1911 and Being With (Être Avec) is dated 1946.

Which ten paintings by Roberto Matta are the best known?Display the answer

Being With (Être Avec), Untitled, The Disasters of Mysticism, Writing One's Cry (Ecrire son cri), Munda y desnuda, la libertad contra la opresión (Worldly and Nude, Freedom Against Oppression), Les Oh! Tomobiles, Being With (Être Avec), Snail's Trace, Composition and The Composition with Green Tones. The list above records the date and holding museum of each.

How many works by Roberto Matta are documented?Display the answer

The catalogue records 21 works by Roberto Matta, dated between 1937 and 1997.

Which museums hold the best-known paintings of Roberto Matta?Display the answer

Principally in Israel Museum (Jerusalem), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) and Inter-American Development Bank (Washington, D.C.). The museum table above gives the full distribution.

In which period were Roberto Matta's best-known works painted?Display the answer

In 1940s: 9 of the 21 works listed on this page are dated to that period, including Being With (Être Avec).

Which are the earliest and latest dated works by Roberto Matta on this list?Display the answer

The earliest dated work listed here is Snail's Trace (1937); the latest is Verbo América (1997).

Which subjects recur most in the work of Roberto Matta?Display the answer

Dreamlike (2) and Abstract (2), out of the 21 works listed on this page.

With which art movement is Roberto Matta associated?Display the answer

Surrealism, as documented by the works on this page.

Which works by Roberto Matta are in the collection of the Israel Museum?Display the answer

Untitled, Writing One's Cry (Ecrire son cri) and I Walk are among the 6 works on this page in the collection of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem.

Roberto Matta: biographical notes

Roberto Matta: A Surrealist Visionary

  • Born: November 11, 1911, Santiago, Chile
  • Died: March 23, 2002, Civitavecchia, Italy

Roberto Sebastián Antonio Matta Echaurren, known as Roberto Matta, was a Chilean painter and architect who significantly impacted abstract expressionism and surrealist art. His journey from architecture student to influential artist reflects a profound exploration of the subconscious mind and a unique artistic vision.

Early Life and Artistic Development

  • Education: Studied architecture at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, graduating in 1935.
  • European Influences: Travels to Europe exposed him to prominent artists like René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, André Breton, and Le Corbusier, shaping his artistic style.
  • Surrealist Engagement: Became a key figure within the Surrealist movement, embracing its exploration of dreams, the subconscious, and challenging conventional reality. His work was heavily influenced by Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theories.

Key Artistic Characteristics and Influences

  • Biomorphic Forms: Matta’s paintings are characterized by organic shapes and forms reminiscent of living organisms, a hallmark of his style.
  • Psychological Landscapes: His works often depict dreamlike landscapes that evoke psychological states and emotions.
  • Abstract Expressionism: While rooted in Surrealism, Matta's work significantly contributed to the development of Abstract Expressionism through its emphasis on gesture, color, and emotional expression. He collaborated with artists like Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock.
  • Modernismo Influence: His connection to the Modernismo art movement is evident in his use of Latin and Greek mythology and medieval verses.

Major Works and Political Engagement

  • Notable Paintings: Being with, Invasion of the Night, and Verbo América are among his most recognized works.
  • Mural "The First Goal of the Chilean People": A large-scale mural painted in 1973 was later covered by the military regime of Augusto Pinochet. It was rediscovered and restored in 2008, now displayed at La Granja City Hall. This work demonstrates his political engagement and commentary on social issues.
  • Ceramic Vessels: Matta also explored ceramic art, creating vessels with surrealist imagery and ancient motifs (as seen in "Senza titolo").

Legacy and Historical Significance

  • Influence on Subsequent Artists: Matta’s innovative use of color, form, and psychological themes inspired generations of artists.
  • Museum Recognition: His works are held in prestigious collections including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City and the Butler Institute of American Art.
  • Continued Relevance: Matta’s exploration of the subconscious mind, his blending of surrealism and abstraction, and his engagement with political themes continue to resonate with contemporary audiences.

All 21 works by Roberto Matta →