20^th Century American Realism was a turn of the century art movement reflecting what was going on in the world. Many images were more urban, to represent the population shift.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_realism#America_at_the_turn_of_the_century

Surrealism (1924-1930‘s) was an extension of the Dadaist movement. Freud and his psychoanalysis were a huge inspiration and influence. Surrealists wants to paint the impossible, the dream worlds, and the unconscious mind.

Rene Magritte’s “Time Transfixed”

Realism (c 1860-1880) was a return to Enlightenment thinking and humanism to some extent. It was disillusioned with counter enlightenment movements. They wanted historical accuracy as with Neoclassicism. The artists of the realist movement paid attention to detail and made realistic depictions of people. They sometimes dealt with politics and made social commentaries.

Eakins’ “The Gross Clinic”