Salvador Dalí – The eccentric Catalan and fame-seeking Surrealist

Wonderful, crazy, dreamy, playful (and money-grubbing) Dalí – he will remain unforgettable as a painter, graphic artist, writer, sculptor and stage designer ; in several respects, he dared and achieved the unheard of as an artist.

The Spanish artistic genius worked in various fields such as painting, graphics, literature, sculpture and film , and is considered one of the most important representatives of the modern art movement, especially Surrealism .

But it was also his eccentric nature and extravagant lifestyle that earned the fame-seeking Catalan a place in the history books of art.

“Every morning when I wake up, I experience the greatest joy: namely, to be Salvador Dalí…”

This self-referential statement came from the Spanish painter, who was obsessed with fame and fortune and painted and talked a lot. His favorite subject: The Path to Genius . His motto:

“Oh Salvador, you know now, if you play the genius, then you will become one!”.

Salvador Dalí is one of the most famous artists worldwide, renowned for his extravagant lifestyle, his distinctive mustache, his provocative behavior, and his bizarre, surrealist works.

The artist Salvador Dalí , whose full name was Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, was born in 1904 in Figueres (in northern Catalonia). His parents deliberately gave him the first name Salvador, meaning "the savior," as they were convinced that he was destined to save painting. He was to use his art to overcome the threats posed by abstract art , academic Surrealism, Dadaism, and other anarchic movements.

His works were characterized by the depiction of visionary motifs arising from his own extreme psychological states, which he expressed in a disturbing way, particularly in his paintings from the 1930s onward. Melting Watches and burning giraffes became his unmistakable trademark; the cryptic, mystical, and symbolic were recurring themes in his art .

Contrary to the prevailing opinion of the Surrealists, Salvador Dalí employed techniques from the Old Masters , which ultimately led to his exclusion from the group. His creative output has established him as one of the most eccentric painters of the 20th century.

His later works, in particular, with their dreamlike worlds of precise illusionistic detail, are among his most important legacies.

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The most important facts about Salvador Dalí:

Salvador Dalí – Origin and Childhood

The artist's full name is as varied as his work: Dalí's full name is Salvadore Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marqués de Púbol . He was born on May 11, 1904, in Figueres, Spain, near Girona in Catalonia.

Dalí's bourgeois background as the son of a respected notary hardly predisposed him to his future forays into the worlds of dreams and intoxication, feverish states and crises of faith. However, the future friend of the subconscious was already burdened with a heavy responsibility at birth, receiving the name of his recently deceased brother.

Salvador was considered difficult to raise as a child and sometimes displayed extreme aggression towards others. During these moments, he not only injured animals but also himself. However, his father's strict upbringing instilled in him a strong desire for security and a pronounced inclination towards order. His mother, on the other hand, softened his father's strictness.

As a child, he was afraid of his brother's grave; his whole life he wanted to prove to the world that he was the original. Little Salvadore showed his first peculiarities early on; daydreams and a tendency to tell untruths were followed by veritable outbursts of rage when, from the age of four, he was supposed to share his parents' love with a sister.

Early influences, education and first attempts at painting

He lived partly in the attic of his family home, where he developed vivid imaginations and painted his first pictures when he was six years old.

Dalí came from a family of storytellers who embellished their origins to impress others. In keeping with family tradition, Dalí created his own mythology and reimagined his childhood, enriching it with vibrant colors, intrigue, and a certain darkness.

Because of these inclinations, his academic performance was rather unsatisfactory, as he much preferred to indulge in his daydreams. At the age of six, he aspired to become a chef. By seven, he wanted to emulate Napoleon, and finally, he decided to become a genius in order to gain recognition in the world.

At this age, he was also inspired by the impressionistic paintings of a neighbor, and he also 19th-century genre paintings as a model for his painting attempts.

In addition to his primary school education, he also attended the Instituto de Figueres and, from 1916 onwards, the Marist College, a private secondary school.

Ramon Pichot's brother, Josep "Pepito" Pichot, recognized his talent for painting and, at his suggestion, allowed him to attend evening classes at the Municipal Drawing School. His art teacher was Juan Núñez Fernández, the director of the institute and a supporter of Dalí's passion for art.

After only one year, the director of the art school awarded him an honorary diploma.

Meanwhile, the First World War broken out, and the impressions of it led the fourteen-year-old Dalí to join a group of anarchists; he wanted the Marxist revolution and in 1921 founded the socialist group “Renovació Social” with friends.

In 1922, Dalí passed his high school graduation exams and had his first group exhibition; he then began his studies at the Academia San Fernando in Madrid, where he studied painting, graphic arts, and sculpture.

In 1924, Dalí decided to return to the Academy. However, on October 20, 1926, he was expelled by royal decree due to his inappropriate behavior. The reason for this was his refusal to take the examination, as he considered the teachers incompetent and unable to properly assess his work.

Developing your own style

Even at this time, Dalí developed his eccentric style ; he dressed in velvet and floor-length capes and was hardly ever seen without the large black felt hat and the walking stick with a gilded knob.

At the age of twenty, Dalí began to devote himself to literature, devouring numerous books, including the works of his fellow students, the poet Federico García Lorca , and the filmmaker Luis Buñuel , with whom Dalí produced "Un Chien Andalou" (An Andalusian Dog) Through them, he also became acquainted with the writings of Sigmund Freud . psychoanalysis one of the most important discoveries of his life.

From this point onward, his paintings seemed to strive to visually represent Freud's theories of psychoanalysis. Dalí had no innate style; instead, he developed an individual style based on nonconformity and sensitivity, both of which stemmed from his childhood imagination.

Dalí's painting style became increasingly independent, which, along with political differences, led to his expulsion from the academy; he left without a degree. His paintings now clearly show Futurist tendencies, with Cubist and also Pointillist influences.

Dalí explored and experimented with other art movements , such as Cubism and Realism . Together with Sebastia Gasch and Luis Montanía, he signed the “Groc Manifesto,” also known as the “Yellow Manifesto,” in March 1928. This manifesto was a sharp critique of the then-dominant cultural movement of Noucentisme .

In the late 1920s, he also tried his hand at art criticism and stage design "Un Chien Andalou" was made in 1928 , and "L'âge d'or" with L. Bunel in 1930.

He devoted himself to the art movements of Futurism and Cubism 1927 painting "Blood Is Sweeter Than Honey" was introduced Pablo Picasso and the circle of Surrealists around Joan Miró

This year was probably the most decisive in his life: In 1929 he joined the Surrealists , who had formed an artists' group in Paris.

He met Hans Arp and Max Ernst , André Breton and Yves Tanguy , René Magritte and Man Ray , and many other important contemporary artists. Among them were the poet Paul Éluard and his wife Gala, a Russian immigrant with whom Dalí fell hopelessly in love.

Gala – Muse, Goddess, Obsession

Gala, the Russian woman and muse of the eccentric artist Salvador Dalí, not only influenced his life but also his artistic work. After they met in Cadaqués in 1929, a passionate relationship developed that even Gala's husband, the poet Paul Éluard, could not ignore.

Despite her return to Paris, Salvador remained unforgettable for Gala. Gala could not resist Dalí's passion; she became his life partner and would hold the sexually repressed artist in an erotic embrace .

Dalí's sexual obsession was evident in his paintings , but his relationship with Gala also changed the artist in other ways: Gala was to take control of his life in every way, the relationship with her led to a break with Dalí's family, marriage in 1934 and a church wedding in 1958.

After their civil marriage in 1935 and their church wedding in 1958, she became his driving force: she organized his business affairs and inspired him in his work. 

Gala now replaced his family; she became his muse and his manager, and she changed his temperament. Gala is said to be responsible for the narcissist Dalí emerging from his visions and turning to reality, but this also means that Gala is held responsible for Dalí increasingly prioritizing the financial aspects of his work.

In the early stages of his relationship with Gala, the still dreamy Dalí painted some of his most important works, e.g. “The Persistence of Memory” , the well-known work with the melting Watches .

Dalí immortalized Gala in countless paintings and described her as "the salt of his life" and a "beacon." Their intense connection permeated both their artistic work and their everyday lives and was characterized by extraordinary devotion.

Under Gala's influence, however, Dalí became calmer; he no longer completely rejected academic painting, his sexual curiosity was replaced by an appreciation of familial values, and in one painting he even crossed humane boundaries in defense of Gala.

"Gala & Dalí – The Inseparables", the author couple Sylvia Frank explored the romantic relationship between Salvador and Gala Dalí.

Break with the Surrealists and increasing prosperity

In his painting “The Riddle of William Tell,” Dalí depicts his father, by his own account, as a cannibal to illustrate his troubled relationship with his family. Gala, on the other hand, is hidden inside a nut at the father figure's feet and is in danger of being crushed.

This development in Dalí's career led to a falling out with the Surrealists , which culminated in the debate surrounding the Tell painting. Also due to other pronouncements by Dalí, André Breton accused him in a 1934 letter of being an anti-humanist and of defending the novelty of the Hitler phenomenon.

The Surrealists also condemned his advocacy for academic painting as a departure from modernism and his sudden discovery of familial values, which led him to defend paternal authority. Furthermore, he was accused of an overly conscious approach to painting and an excessive striving for success .

On January 11, 1935, he gave a lecture in French at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) about surrealist paintings and paranoid images. During this event, Dalí was able to sell some of his works, including to prestigious museums.

Furthermore, he found a gallery owner who agreed to acquire Dalí's artwork. This not only provided him with financial security but also gave him the necessary inspiration to paint.

In reality, after his break with the Surrealists, Dalí lived alongside Gala an increasingly money-driven artistic life , with multimillionaire patrons and travels around the world. He exhibited in famous art capitals, gave lectures, and, in addition to his own designs, also created his first portraits of celebrities.

Classical Period

From 1936, Dalí and Gala lived in London for a year with Edward James , a wealthy businessman who was both interested in art and financially supported Dalí. During this time, Dalí created his remarkable wooden panel painting, "The Anthropomorphic Cabinet" .

Due to the Spanish Civil War, the two left Portlligat in 1936 and traveled to various European countries. They spent some time in Fascist Italy, where Dalí's future works were strongly influenced by the Renaissance paintings he saw in the museums of Florence and Rome .

In 1938, during a visit to London, he even met Sigmund Freud in person.

Artistic creative phase in the USA

When German troops marched into Bordeaux in 1941, Salvador Dalí and Gala emigrated to the United States. There, Dalí experienced an impressive period of artistic creativity, working with Alfred Hitchcock on "Spellbound" and with Walt Disney on "Destino" .

On November 18 of that same year, the Museum of Modern Art hosted a major retrospective of works by the Spanish Surrealists Dalí and Miró, with Dalí's contribution consisting of more than 40 paintings and 17 drawings. This exhibition subsequently toured eight cities.

The following year, Dalí published his autobiography, " The Secret Life of Salvador Dali," a lengthy work of over 400 pages that describes his childhood up to his emigration to America in 1940.

Dalí left his surrealist phase behind in 1941, and his classical period , in which he took motifs from the great classical masters as his models. The former atheist also returned to the Catholic faith and painted a series of pictures with religious themes .

Return to Portlligat and International Recognition

Dalí and Gala remained in the USA until 1948. After their return, they lived again in their house in Portlligat on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. During this time, he created several stage designs and costumes for plays by William Shakespeare and Luchino Visconti.

In addition, he produced numerous paintings, which he described as his “most creative period.” These paintings were shown at an exhibition in New York in 1954, which Dalí himself attended. These successes made Dalí an internationally acclaimed artist.

Since Dalí no longer felt at home with the Surrealists, his work has taken many forms; he has worked for Walt Disney and jewelry designs , designed stage sets, and contributed to magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar .

He has developed perfumes and fashion accessories, written a novel, and authored a treatise on his painting technique entitled "Fifty Magical Secrets ." He painted several pictures to process his shock at the atomic bombing of Hiroshima , but has also illustrated luxury editions of books, designed ceiling paintings, created stereoscopic images, and produced holographic works.

The list of his diverse activities could go on endlessly; in any case, by the early 1960s, Dalí was so wealthy that he lived a life of luxury with Gala and employed several people in his own merchandising company. The managing director of “Dalí Merchandising” also became a multimillionaire .

Due to his frequent stays in the United States, Dalí was awarded the highest order of the country by Queen Isabella of Spain in 1964 for his life's work.

Dalí Museum was built between 1970 and 1972 , with Dalí personally designing every detail of the museum as a complete work of art – from the monumental eggs on the roof to the toilets. The architect, Joaquín de Ros y de Ramis, always worked strictly according to the wishes of the “Divine,” as Dalí now called himself.

The opening boasted a thousand invited guests; the works distributed throughout the building are not limited to paintings.

Visitors can also stereoscopic photography , flexible metal crucifixes, a large sculpture from a Surrealist exhibition, a room set as an environment for Dalí's Mae West paintings, and works by fellow artists. The entire interior is complemented by ceiling and wall paintings created by Dalí in a classical style.

Thus, this entire museum displays art and caricature, kitsch and commerce in an equally irritating and sumptuous harmony, just as Dalí's life had been.

The artist once said about himself and his artist friends from the “Golden Triangle” :

“You can turn us however you want, we’re always on top.”

Retrospective in Paris and end of life

In 1979, a major exhibition of Dalí's works was presented at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. After contracting a viral infection in 1980, Dalí needed considerable time to recover. In 1982, he was granted the title Marquis de Dalí y Pubol by King Juan Carlos I.

Following the painful loss of his wife Gala in the same year, Dali lived a secluded and solitary life in Púbol from 1983 onwards. There, in May of that year, he completed his last painting, "The Swallowtail," which was based on René Thom's mathematical theory of catastrophe and thus concluded a series.

After his wife's death, Dali refused to eat, and as a result, he could no longer swallow, leading to dehydration. Therefore, he had to be fed through a nasogastric tube for the rest of his life.

The artist died in 1989 after a long illness in his hometown. At his own request, the late artist Dalí was buried in the crypt beneath the impressive glass dome of his theatre-museum, the “Teatre-Museu Dalí” , in Figueres.

In his will, he designated the Spanish state as the heir to his real estate and works of art.

The following video is a short documentary about this extraordinary artist:

The characteristic painting style of Salvador Dalí

Dalí's artworks are characterized by a unique visual language that distinguishes his unmistakable style as a leading force in Surrealism. Through meticulous technique and a profound love of detail, he succeeded in translating his extravagant imagination, permeated by obsessions, fears, and dreams, onto the canvas. The result is a symbolic, dreamlike world , which he staged in a realistic or even hyperrealistic manner.

The Surrealists, including Dalí, were heavily inspired by the theories of Sigmund Freud. Dalí, in particular, strove to explore and reveal the deepest and darkest realms of his unconscious in his paintings.

His works demand active interpretation from viewers and target their subconscious levels. Examples of such remarkable works include "The Great Masturbator" (1929), "The Persistence of Memory" (1931), and "Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate One Second Before Awakening" (1944).

The fascinating blend of Freud's psychoanalysis and Dalí's surreal visions reveals a deeper level of the human psyche, addressing both the conscious and the unconscious. These images encourage the viewer to reflect on their own inner world and the often undiscovered secrets of the mind.

For those interested, visiting exhibitions showcasing Dalí's works can be motivating, offering a chance to experience the complex and fascinating world of Surrealism.

Important themes and symbols in Dalí's works

Salvador Dalí, an artist of insatiable curiosity, was inspired throughout his life by science and technological progress . This fascination, which began in his childhood, reached its peak during his time in the USA. He was particularly captivated by the atomic bomb , a fact reflected in works such as "Melancholic Atomic and Uranian Idyll" (1945) and "Intra-Atomic Equilibrium of a Swan's Feather" (1947).

In the 1950s, Dalí underwent a remarkable shift in his artistic direction. He began to intertwine religious themes "The Madonna of Port Lligat" (1950), "Crucifixion" (1954), and "The Last Supper" AD portrait these works reflect Dalí's quest to unite the transcendent with the modern by artfully fusing elements of faith and science.

His pursuit of innovation was also evident in the 1970s, when holography and three-dimensional art inspired Dalí. He set new standards with the development of stereoscopic works using Fresnel lenses. Notable creations from this period include:

• "Dalí lifts the skin of the Mediterranean to show Gala the birth of Venus" (1977)
• "The Harmony of the Spheres" (1979).

These works demonstrate Dalí's tireless drive to push boundaries and transport viewers into new dimensions of perception.

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