Portrait of Roberto Matta

Meet 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

In short

If you know one Roberto Matta painting, it's probably Being With (Être Avec) (1946), which hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Untitled (1959) and The Disasters of Mysticism (1942) round out the three pieces people recognise right away. Our catalogue has 21 works by Roberto Matta. Below are the 21 people know best, each with its year, where to find it and what makes it special.

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

Start here: the top 10 Roberto Matta 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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More Roberto Matta favourites, 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

What Roberto Matta painted most

The four subjects that come up most often in these pieces, 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

Where you can see Roberto Matta's paintings

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 decade by decade: one standout piece each

Works per decade

Pick a decade to see its standout piece.

Your questions about Roberto Matta's paintings

Which Roberto Matta painting is the most famous?See the answer

Top of the list is Being With (Être Avec) (1946), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Right behind it: Untitled (1959) and The Disasters of Mysticism (1942).

How old was Roberto Matta when Being With (Être Avec) was made?See the answer

35 years old. Roberto Matta was born in 1911, and Being With (Être Avec) dates from 1946.

What are the 10 best-known Roberto Matta paintings?See 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. You'll find the year and the museum of each in the list above.

How many paintings did Roberto Matta create?See the answer

We have 21 works by Roberto Matta in our catalogue, dated 1937 to 1997.

Where can you see Roberto Matta's famous paintings?See the answer

You'll find most of them in Israel Museum (Jerusalem), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) and Inter-American Development Bank (Washington, D.C.). The museum list above has the full breakdown.

When did Roberto Matta paint the best-known pieces?See the answer

In 1940s, more than any other time: 9 of the 21 pieces on this page date from then, Being With (Être Avec) among them.

Which famous Roberto Matta paintings came first and last?See the answer

The earliest piece here is Snail's Trace (1937); the most recent is Verbo América (1997).

What subjects show up most in Roberto Matta's paintings?See the answer

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

What art movement was Roberto Matta part of?See the answer

Surrealism, as you can see in the pieces on this page.

Which Roberto Matta pieces can you see at the Israel Museum?See the answer

You can see 6 of the pieces on this page at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, including Untitled, Writing One's Cry (Ecrire son cri) and I Walk.

Getting to know Roberto Matta

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 →