Salvadore Dali was born in Spain in May of 1904. He spent much of his childhood splitting his time between two family homes. He is well known for his wild images used in his surrealistic paintings, but he was also a sculptor, designer, and graphic artist.

While he had phases of futurism, cubism and metaphysical painting, he ultimately joined the surrealists and quickly became one of the most famous examples of the style. His painting “The Persistence of Memory” remains one of surrealism’s best known works.

As important and well known as this painting is, it may come as a surprise to the average viewer that the painting itself is actually quite small. This oil painting measures only 9 1/2 x 13 inches, approximately the size of a casserole dish.

There are a number of different things that draw the eye in this painting. To begin with, of course, everything appears to be melting.

There are several tired looking clocks, and one strange creature in the foreground (which may apparently be some sort of stretched representation of the artist himself).

A swarming cluster of ants may imply decay. With all the incredible things going on in the painting, there is one small nod to things true to life: the background cliffs are like those in Dali’s home, Catalonia.

As well-known as this painting is, it may come as a bit of a shock for the average viewer to find that Dali also painted one called “Disintegration of Persistence of Memory”. In this, as the name implies, the famous scene depicted in the earlier painting is now beginning to deteriorate. Breaking down his earlier work and moving on to new things might be the message meant by this painting, as the picture itself seems to break down into blocks and grids.

Later, Dali moved on beyond the surrealists and moved into his classical stage, which includes another of his famous paintings titled “The Sacrament of the Last Supper”. This painting was commissioned by a collector named Chester Dale.

Upon first glance, there are a lot of similarities to da Vinci’s painting of the same topic, and although the collector was quite happy with his piece, it was somewhat panned as being a less than stellar example of a common topic.

Jesus sits at the center of a table, surrounded by his disciples, while a glance out the windows in this painting would depict a bay that existed near the painter’s home. The torso of a man in the sky features prominently in the painting, and it would appear that the painting is trying to indicate that Christ is already ascending.

Some of his later years were spent with him living more or less as a hermit, and he died in January of 1989. Salvadore Dali would not let himself be limited by labels.

He did some early impressionist works before moving onto surrealism and then the classical period. By doing so he established himself as a man of many talents, and one who did not need to be hampered by the inferiority he might feel by the claiming of just a single label.

Betz Gallery is an expert in Giclee , dali and reproductions.

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Author Bio: Betz Gallery is an expert in Giclee , dali and reproductions.

Category: Culture
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