Salvador Dalí

Lore & Background

Dalí was born on 11 May 1904 in Figueres, Spain, the second son of a middle-class lawyer and notary. His older brother, also named Salvador, had died nine months before his birth, a fact that haunted Dalí throughout his life. He attended the Municipal Drawing School in Figueres in 1916 and later studied at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid, where he became friends with Luis Buñuel and Federico García Lorca. His mother died in 1921, which he called the greatest blow of his life.

In 1929, Dalí joined the Surrealist group and soon became a leading figure. He lived in France during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) and then moved to the United States in 1940, where he achieved commercial success. He returned to Spain in 1948, announced his return to the Catholic faith, and developed his 'nuclear mysticism' style. His eccentric public behavior often drew more attention than his artwork, and his support for the Francoist regime, commercial activities, and the quality of some late works have been controversial.

Reader's Guide

Dalí's significance lies in his role as a leading surrealist whose technical precision and dreamlike imagery expanded the boundaries of modern art. His work influenced other Surrealists, pop art, popular culture, and contemporary artists such as Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst. Major themes in his work include dreams, the subconscious, sexuality, religion, science, and his personal relationships. His artistic repertoire spanned painting, sculpture, film, graphic arts, animation, fashion, and photography, often in collaboration with others. Two major museums are devoted to his work: the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, Spain, and the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. His legacy remains complex due to his controversial public persona and political affiliations, but his technical mastery and iconic imagery continue to captivate audiences.

Did You Know?

• Dalí's older brother, also named Salvador, died of gastroenteritis nine months before Dalí was born.
• He was influenced by Impressionism, Renaissance masters, Cubism, and avant-garde movements before joining Surrealism.
• Dalí lived in France during the Spanish Civil War and moved to the United States in 1940.
• He wrote fiction, poetry, autobiography, essays, and criticism in addition to his visual art.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Dali is striving then for a rational approach of his paintings; he is very probably referring to his painting, he made earlier in 1927: 'Little Ashes'" — Salvador Dalí "So, André Breton, if tonight I dream I am screwing you, tomorrow morning I will paint all of our best fucking positions with the greatest wealth of detail." — Salvador Dalí "What is an elegant woman? An elegant woman is a woman who despises you and who has no hair under her arms." — Salvador Dalí "If the secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret, the secret of Gala’s influence has been to remain in turn doubly secret." — Salvador Dalí