Salvador Dali

Spanish Surrealist Painter (1904-1989)

Salvador Dali, a flamboyant painter and sometime writer, sculptor and experimental film maker was probably the greatest surrealist artist.

He used bizarre imagery to create unforgettable and unmistakable landscapes of his inner world. His most famous work is ' The Persistence of Memory.'

Dali was born on May 11th 1904 in the town of Figueres in Catalonia, Spain. He had a brother, also named Salvador who died of meningitis at the age of seven. There father, Salvador Dali Cusi was a middle class lawyer and notary.

In 1908 Dali enrolled at the State Primary School. Two years later this option failed, so his father decided to enrol him at the Hispano-French School of the Immaculate Conception in Figueres. Here he learnt French, the language that was to become his cultural vehicle.

Salvador Dali first discovered Impressionism on the outskirts of Figueres at the Molí de la Torre estate. Owned by a family of intellectuals and artists, The Pichot Family.

He attended classes taught by Juan Núńez at the Municipal Drawing School, as well as beginning secondary schooling at the Marist Brothers' School, and Figueres Grammer School

in 1920 Dali was set on becoming a painter, his father made it a condition that he went to Madrid. Here he would study at the Fine Arts School. Dali accepted to do this, in order to qualify as a teacher.

Dali's mother, Felipa Domènech Ferrés passed away in 1921. the following year his father married Catalina  Domènech Ferrés, the deceased womens sister.

By 1929 Dali had found his personal style that should make him famous – the world of the unconscious that is recalled during our dreams.

Recuring dreams of images of burning giraffes and melting watches became the artists trademark.

His paintings were a near photo realistic style, this was down to his great craftmenship.

Dali met Gala Eluard, she became his lover, muse, business manager and chief inspiration. Dali and Gala moved to the United States during world war II. They spent eight years there. The eight years became important to the artist. The Museum of Modern Art in New York gave Dali his first major retrospective exhibit in 1941. shortly followed by Dali's autobiography, 'The Secret Life of Salvador Dali.

Dali was not limited to a particular style or media as an artist. From early impressionist paintings through his transitional surrealist works and into his classical period his body of work revealed a constantly growing and evolving artist.

He worked in all media, leaving behind a wealth of oils, watercolours, drawings, graphics, and sculptures, films, photographs, performance pieces, jewels and objects of all descriptions. As important he left for posterity the permission to explore all aspects of one's own life and to give them artistic impression.

Dali produced over 1,500 paintings in his career, many of which remain in various museums dedicated to his life..

Let's see some Salvador Dali Paintings: