
Salvador Dali works are some of the most recognizable of the 20th century. Not only was Dali talented, but he was also prolific. This Spanish artist created more than 1,500 paintings. While Dali produced other works as a sculptor, architect, filmmaker and photographer, it is his paintings that are his vast legacy.
Surrealism Movement
When Dali moved to Paris in 1929, he had already produced many paintings that were created in the Cubist style. He joined the Surrealist group that formed in Paris, which was led by Andre Breton. In 1931, Dali painted his most famous work, "The Persistence of Memory," identified by pocket watches melting over a barren landscape. Other significant pieces of this time were "The Face of Mae West" and "Premonition of Civil War."
Post World War II Works
During World War II, the Germans occupied France, and Dali fled to the United States with his wife. While in the United States, Dali produced a collection of religiously inspired works, such as the "Temptation of Saint Anthony," "Sacrament of the Last Supper" and "Christ of St. John on the Cross."
Other Famous Works
Dali experimented with many artistic media, including sculpture, architecture, filmmaking, writing and photography. His "Mae West Lips Sofa" and "Lobster Telephone" are among his most recognized sculptures. Dali's architectural accomplishments include his personal residence in Port Lligat, Spain. Dali worked with filmmakers Alfred Hitchcock and Walt Disney, and produced several documentaries. In 1945, he collaborated with Walt Disney on a short animated film called "Destino," which was ultimately posthumously finished in 2003. His only novel, "Hidden Faces," was published in 1944, and he completed several biographies as well.
Dali's Imagery
Among the more recognizable themes within the Salvador Dali works are sexuality, religion, decay, war and food. Some of Dali's most repetitive objects are elephants, rhinoceroses, lobsters, telephones and broken and bleeding bodies. His paintings, especially his Surrealist paintings, are colorful and imaginative. They capitalize on expressing the unconscious, which resulted in dreamlike images, fantastic settings and impossible objects.
Find articles on salvador dali biography, salvador dali works and facts on salvador dali. |