Fears and fetish of a genius - symbolism of Dali
Having created his own, surreal world, Dali filled it with phantasmagorical creatures and mystical symbols. These symbols, reflecting the master’s obsessions, fears and fetish objects, “move” from one of his works to another throughout his creative life.
Dali’s symbolism is not accidental (just as everything in life is not accidental, according to the maestro): being interested in Freud’s ideas, the surrealist came up with and used symbols in order to emphasize hidden meaning their works. Most often - to indicate the conflict between the “hard” bodily shell of a person and his soft “fluid” emotional and mental filling.
Symbolism of Salvador Dali in sculpture
The ability of these creatures to communicate with God worried Dali. Angels for him are a symbol of a mystical, sublime union. Most often in the master’s paintings they appear next to Gala, who for Dali was the embodiment of nobility, purity and connection bestowed by heaven.
ANGEL
the only painting in the world in which there is a motionless presence, long-awaited meeting two creatures against the backdrop of a deserted, gloomy, dead landscape
In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts (Ralph Emerson)
Salvador Dali "Fallen Angel" 1951
ANTS
Dali's fear of the perishability of life arose in his childhood, when he watched with a mixture of horror and disgust as ants devoured the remains of dead small animals. From then on, and throughout his life, ants became a symbol of decomposition and rot for the artist. Although some researchers associate the ants in Dali's works with a strong expression of sexual desire.
Salvador Dali “in the language of allusions and symbols, he designated the conscious and active memory in the form of a mechanical watch and ants scurrying around in it, and the unconscious memory in the form of a soft clock that shows an indefinite time. PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY thus depicts the oscillations between the ups and downs of the waking and sleeping states.” His statement that “the soft clock becomes a metaphor for the flexibility of time” is filled with uncertainty and a lack of intrigue. Time can move in different ways: either flow smoothly or be corroded by corruption, which, according to Dali, meant decay, symbolized here by the bustle of insatiable ants.”
BREAD
Perhaps the fact that Salvador Dali depicted bread in many of his works and used it to create surreal objects testified to his fear of poverty and hunger.
Dali was always a big “fan” of bread. It is no coincidence that he used buns to decorate the walls of the theater-museum in Figueres. Bread combines several symbols at once. The appearance of the loaf reminds Salvador of a hard phallic object, opposed to the “soft” time and mind.
"Retrospective bust of a woman" 
In 1933, S. Dali created a bronze bust with a loaf of bread on his head, ants on his face and ears of corn as a necklace. It was sold for 300,000 euros.
Basket with bread
In 1926, Dali painted “Bread Basket” - a modest still life, filled with reverent respect for the little Dutch, Vermeer and Velazquez. On a black background there is a white crumpled napkin, a wicker straw basket, a couple of pieces of bread. Written with a thin brush, no innovations, fierce school wisdom mixed with manic diligence.
CRUTCHES
One day little Salvador found old crutches in the attic, and their purpose impressed him. young genius strong impression. For a long time, crutches became for him the embodiment of confidence and hitherto unprecedented arrogance. By participating in the creation of " Brief dictionary surrealism" in 1938, Salvador Dali wrote that crutches are a symbol of support, without which certain soft structures are unable to maintain their shape or vertical position.
One of Dali's outright mockeries of the communist love of Andre Breton and his leftist views. Main character according to Dali himself, this is Lenin in a cap with a huge visor. In The Diary of a Genius, Salvador writes that the baby is himself, screaming “He wants to eat me!” There are also crutches here - an indispensable attribute of Dali’s work, which retained its relevance throughout the artist’s life. With these two crutches the artist props up the visor and one of the leader’s thighs. This is not the only one famous work on this topic. Back in 1931, Dali wrote “Partial Hallucination. Six apparitions of Lenin on the piano."
DRAWERS
Human bodies in many of Salvador Dali's paintings and objects have drawers that open, symbolizing memory, as well as thoughts that one often wants to hide. “The recesses of thought” is a concept borrowed from Freud and means the secret of hidden desires.
SALVADOR DALI
VENUS De MILO WITH DRAWERS 
Venus de Milo with boxes
,1936 Venus de Milo with Drawers Gypsum. Height: 98 cm Private collection
EGG
Dali “found” this symbol from Christians and “modified it” a little. In Dali’s understanding, the egg does not so much symbolize purity and perfection (as Christianity teaches), but rather gives a hint of a former life and rebirth, and symbolizes intrauterine development.
“Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man”
Metamorphoses of Narcissus 1937 
You know, Gala (but of course you know) it’s me. Yes, Narcissus is me.
The essence of metamorphosis is the transformation of the daffodil's figure into a huge stone hand, and its head into an egg (or onion). Dali uses the Spanish proverb “The onion has sprouted in the head,” which denoted obsessions and complexes. The narcissism of a young man is such a complex. Narcissus’s golden skin is a reference to Ovid’s saying (whose poem “Metamorphoses,” which also talked about Narcissus, inspired the idea for the painting): “golden wax slowly melts and flows away from the fire... so love melts and flows away.”
ELEPHANTS
Huge and majestic elephants, symbolizing dominance and power, are always supported by Dali on long thin legs with a large number of kneecaps. This is how the artist shows the instability and unreliability of what seems unshakable.
IN "The Temptation of Saint Anthony"(1946) Dali placed the saint in the bottom corner. A chain of elephants, led by a horse, floats above him. Elephants carry temples with naked bodies on their backs. The artist wants to say that temptations are between heaven and earth. For Dali, sex was akin to mysticism.
Another key to understanding the painting lies in the decorous appearance on the cloud of the Spanish El Escorial, a building that for Dali symbolized law and order achieved through the fusion of the spiritual and secular.
Swans reflected as elephants
LANDSCAPES
Most often, Dali's landscapes are made in a realistic manner, and their subjects are reminiscent of Renaissance paintings. The artist uses landscapes as a backdrop for his surreal collages. This is one of Dali’s “trademark” traits - the ability to combine real and surreal objects on one canvas.
SOFT MELTED WATCH
Dali said that liquid is a material reflection of the indivisibility of space and the flexibility of time. One day after eating, while examining a piece of soft Camembert cheese, the artist found perfect way express variable perception man of time - soft watch. This symbol combines a psychological aspect with extraordinary semantic expressiveness.
The Persistence of Memory (soft clock) 1931 
One of the most famous paintings artist. Gala quite correctly predicted that no one, once they saw “The Persistence of Memory,” would forget it. The painting was painted as a result of associations that Dali had with the sight of processed cheese.
SEA URCHIN
According to Dali, the sea urchin symbolizes the contrast that can be observed in human communication and behavior, when after the first unpleasant contact (similar to contact with the prickly surface of a hedgehog), people begin to recognize pleasant traits in each other. In the sea urchin this corresponds to a soft body with tender meat, which Dali loved to feast on so much.
Snail
Like the sea urchin, the snail symbolizes the contrast between the outer harshness and toughness and the soft inner content. But in addition to this, Dali was delighted with the outlines of the snail and the exquisite geometry of its shell. During one of his bicycle forays from home, Dali saw a snail on the trunk of his bicycle and remembered the charm of this sight for a long time. Convinced that it was no accident that the snail ended up on the bike, the artist made it one of the key symbols of his work.
The fact is that Dali himself did not cast sculptures at all: there is information that in 1969 - 1972 he embodied surreal images in volume... in wax. In his house in Port Ligat (as Dali's biographer Robert Descharnes wrote), the artist sometimes went out to the pool and devoted several hours to sculpting. Well, then begins a story as old as the world about Dali’s thirst for money and promiscuity: at first, in 1973, Dali entered into an agreement with the Spanish collector Isidro Clot, who bought wax figures and made four series of bronze castings. Actually, these are the most “authentic Dali sculptures.” The collector kept the first series for himself, the rest went to travel around the world, along the way... multiplying. Already in his old age, Dali sold the rights to reproduce sculptures; they were cast many times, sometimes in an increased size, and that is why sometimes a “Dali sculpture” appears on the market at a relatively affordable price. Auctions Sotheby’s and Christie’s generally refused to accept “Dali sculptures” for sale for two whole years. What can we say about exhibitions of Dali’s sculptures - the images, of course, are genuine, but all of them are copies of copies. That’s why the robbers miscalculated in 2013, who, perhaps, thought to gain millions for the work stolen from the Paris exhibition - the famous “flowing clock”!
More or less originals can be considered, for example, such objects as “Venus de Milo with boxes” (1936), from which the artist Marcel Duchamp, at the request of Dali, made a casting. The plaster Venus is real. But her twin sisters of the same shape - again, “went into circulation.”
The “Retrospective Bust of a Woman”, created by Salvador Dali in 1933 for the Surrealist exhibition at Pierre Colle Gallery (Paris), is also original. On the porcelain bust of a woman is placed a loaf of bread (hat - sur!) and a bronze inkwell - an image of the painting “Angelus” by Jean-François Millet. Plus ants on the face, a paper “scarf”, ears of corn on the shoulders. Just a parody of fashion! The original of which was ruined... by Picasso's dog. The artist visited the exhibition with his pet, and the dog ate the loaf! The whole plan, literally, went down the drain... Now the “reconstruction” of the work, but with a “fake” loaf, is in the Salvador Dali Theater-Museum in Figueres.
In Paris, in the heart of bustling Montmartre, there is the cradle of surrealism, a small but very cozy museum Spanish artist, writer and director, the brilliant Salvador Dali - a haven for tourists, art critics and freelance artists. The museum displays more than three hundred works by the author, mostly engravings, photographs and sculptures. By the way, the Dali Museum contains the most large collection his sculptures in Europe.
The exhibition appeared in Montmartre not by chance. Dali often visited Paris during his student years and beyond. mature years, already having world fame behind him. Parisian meetings and acquaintances played a huge role in shaping the author’s worldview and his further work. It was here, in Montmartre, that Dali met Picasso and, impressed by his works, became fascinated by the “cubic quirks” of the new direction in painting. After this acquaintance, the author often turned to the “cubism” style in his works.
Museum decoration
The Salvador Dali Museum welcomes not only local residents, but also foreign visitors. For them, a printed guide or audio guide is offered in several languages, including Russian, annotations for many exhibits not only in French, but also translated into English. You can start the tour by watching an introductory film about Dali, his life and work. Even a person who is not familiar with the author’s work will understand a lot after watching the film.
The mystical halls of the museum are decorated in the style of surrealism in such a way that they perfectly convey the extraordinary personality of the author himself. The exhibition is accompanied by sound design that reproduces the voice of Salvador Dali and very strange music that matches his work.
"Dali's Universe"
Salvador Dali had a special weakness for sculpture, because only with the help of a three-dimensional image can you recreate your vision of the theme as clearly as possible. In the museum under common name“Dali’s Universe”, consonant with the name of the author’s permanent exhibition in London, presents such famous voluminous works of Salvador Dali as “Profile of Time”, “Snail and Angel”, “Alice in Wonderland”, “Homage to Terpsichore”, “Cosmic Venus” ", "Saint George and the Dragon", "Vision of an Angel", "Space Elephant" and even a sofa in the shape of lips actress May West. All sculptures are expressive and amazing, filled with philosophical meaning and the essence of the author's worldview.
"Time Profile"
One of greatest works Dali - "Profile of Time". What did the author want to tell us by creating this masterpiece? Man is subject to time, time is not subject to anyone or anything, it flows inexorably, and everyone must go their own way.
"Vision of an Angel"
A man with branches instead of arms that strive upward towards the creator, and his legs-roots are firmly connected to the ground. And there is nothing we can do about our dual nature. The angel mourns, sitting aside and contemplating our hopelessness.
"Cosmic Venus"
The body of Venus is divided into parts - this is its all-encompassing essence, it is the universe, bearing the entire weight of existence on its broad shoulders.
And again there is a clock on the sculpture, as a symbol of passing time and aging, and then there is an egg - a symbol of endlessly regenerating life.
"Snail and Angel"
In the sculpture “Snail and Angel” the snail is represented as a symbol of the slow passage of time, the course of which even an angel cannot speed up; in his hands is a crutch - a symbol of powerlessness. The spiral snail shell symbolizes the infinity of time.
The image of a snail was Dali’s favorite; the author used it to convey not only time. First of all, it was for him an image of ideal harmony of masculine and feminine principles, love and perfection. In the Paris museum, many of the author's works carry this meaningful element, such as the whimsical cutlery.
Engravings by Dali
The museum houses a complete collection of Dali's lithographs and engravings. Of particular interest are lithographs of famous literary works. For example, the series “Romeo and Juliet” - emotional illustrations for work of the same name Shakespeare, each of which is personally signed by the author; or engravings for Don Quixote, created by the author in an endless experiment; images from “Tristan and Isolde”, from “Alice in Wonderland” and from other works that Dali was once interested in.
At the end of the exhibition you can see amazing photos of Salvador Dali and some interesting answers from the author to the interview.
Dali's work is very unique. Paradoxical combinations of incompatible forms, bizarre images, sometimes even chaotic, and “allusive” allusions to his own vision of the world and life are reflected in almost all of the author’s works.
Each work of Salvador Dali is individual and requires internal comprehension, so the Paris exhibition will be of interest to any visitor. And at the exit from the museum you can look into the souvenir gallery and buy a piece of “Dali’s Universe” as a souvenir.
How to get there
Address: 11 Rue Poulbot, Paris 75018Telephone: +33 1 42 64 40 10
Website: daliparis.com
Metro: Abbesses
Opening hours: 10:00-18:00
Ticket price
- Adult: 11.50 €
- Reduced: 7.50 €
- Child: 6.50 €
The article presents the sculptures of Salvador Dali, their photos, the history of their occurrence and impressions of what they saw.
Salvador Dali is not only a painter and a PR master. It turns out that Salvador Dali has wonderful surreal sculptures. Perhaps, if it weren’t for a member of my Facebook group who spoke well about the exhibition of these sculptures, I would not have paid attention to these creations. To be honest, I was never attracted to surrealism as an art style in anything other than painting.
With all due respect to Breton, surrealist literature is similar to the delirium of a schizophasic patient. And the sculpture does not shine in this regard, although, for example, they managed to very organically introduce surrealism into sculpture.
However, Dali was able to surprise me here too - his works look elegant and original. The sculptures of Salvador Dali display the same images as in his paintings. At first, Dali simply molded his creations from wax, and then the Spanish art connoisseur Isidro Clot purchased these wax figures from El Salvador and made bronze castings from them. Subsequently, the sculptures were mostly scattered among collections and museums, but the first series remained with the Spaniard.
Sculptures of Salvador Dali, photo
Vaguely reminiscent of the ancient Egyptian god of wisdom and time - Thoth. 
A very elegant and light sculpture. Not a very typical image for Salvador Dali with his extravagant flow of the subconscious. I would call it “Ode to the Piano”. :)
And this is the image and paintings of “The Burning Giraffe”. 
Soft watches - where would we be without them? 
This is obviously the unapproachable Gala and the lover Dali. 
More, even more soft watches. 
Looks like Cupid on a snail. :)
Dali, of course, in to a greater extent an artist rather than a sculptor, however, as they say, a talented person is talented in everything. It remains to say thank you to Isidro Clot, thanks to whom these wonderful creations saw the light of day. Salvador himself would hardly have ever gone beyond his wax prototypes, which is why art would have lost a lot. I must say that I liked these sculptures even more than Dali’s paintings. The sculptures of Salvador Dali are devoid of the schizophrenic tension that is present in his canvases; they are lighter and brighter.
Original taken from nikolai_endegor in Dali the sculptor
Dali the sculptor differs in many ways from Dali the artist: he is stricter, more laconic and, as it seemed to me, more realistic, if such an expression is appropriate in relation to surrealism. One gets the feeling that Dali’s sculptures are three-dimensional versions of his paintings, cleared of many details, brought to their logical conclusion and, as it were, raised to the level of generalization of the idea.
Perhaps this is the influence of the density of the real material, which resisted the artist’s wild imagination, which had previously spilled out uncontrollably onto the plane of the canvas. Perhaps the result of understanding and rethinking one’s own paintings- and almost all of Dali’s sculptures are repetitions and developments of motifs that appeared in his drawings and paintings. Perhaps, finally, this is just my subjective impression, formed under the influence of the event and place - the exhibition of Dali’s sculptures in the Erarta Museum in St. Petersburg.
The main hall of the exhibition "Sculptures of Salvador Dali".
Erarta Museum, St. Petersburg
The past St. Petersburg exhibition is a continuation of the journey of Dali’s sculptures, commissioned and collected by Beniamino Levi, president of the Dali Universe company, a friend of the artist, an expert on his work and a passionate collector of his works. Previously, these sculptures were shown in Paris, Shanghai, Florence, New York, and Los Angeles. They were cast in bronze during the artist’s lifetime from the sketches and wax models he created using the “displacement” method: a ceramic mold was created around the wax model, then the wax was melted and poured, and hot metal was poured into the mold in its place.
Dali Universe also owns the Salvador Dali Center in Montmartre, where the largest exhibition of the artist’s sculptures is located. But to be honest, the works presented in the beautifully organized St. Petersburg exhibition made a much greater impression on me than those in Paris. And I didn’t see many of the sculptures presented in St. Petersburg in Paris - in Montmartre they are smaller in size and seem to be not so detailed.
Snail and Angel, 1980. Based on a 1977 drawing
This sculpture holds a special place in Dali's universe as it references the artist's meeting with Sigmund Freud, whom Dali considered his spiritual father. A snail perched on the seat of a bicycle that stood not far from Freud’s house captured Dali’s imagination. And the snail, a generally accepted symbol of idle pastime, has received wings here and easily moves along the waves. The winged messenger of the gods sat down on the snail’s back for a short moment, endowing it with the gift of movement.
Woman on Fire, 1980.
This sculpture combines two of Dali's constant motifs: fire and a female figure with drawers. The flame seems to live its own life, representing the hidden tension of unconscious desire. At the same time, drawers refer to mystery and the hidden. This beautiful woman without a face becomes a symbol of all women, because for Dali, the real beauty of a woman lies in mystery.
"Woman on Fire" refers to one of the artist's early programmatic works called "Burning Giraffe", which was created during the period civil war in Spain.
Flaming Giraffe, 1937
In the foreground is a figure of a woman with her arms outstretched forward. Both the woman’s hands and face are bloody. The head, devoid of eyes, is filled with despair and helplessness in the face of the impending catastrophe. Behind the two female figures are crutches-supports - a motif that later appeared many times in Dali's works, symbolizing human weaknesses.
Jubilant Angel, 1984. Based on a 1976 drawing.
Weightless angels, capable of overcoming the gravity of the Earth, become a lyrical expression of Dali’s world of dreams and fantasy. The artist once said: “Nothing inspires me more than the idea of an angel!” Since the late 40s, when the artist began to weave religious themes into his works, angels often appear in his works. This sculpture depicts an angel with spread wings and head thrown back, playing divine music on a trumpet and conveying a jubilant message to all who will hear him.
Tribute to fashion, 1984. Based on the gouache original from 1974.
Dali's relationship with high fashion began in the 1930s through his work with Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and Vogue magazine and continued throughout his life. The head of this amazing Venus, frozen in a supermodel pose, is decorated with roses - the most exquisite flowers. Her face is featureless, allowing the admirer to imagine the face he wishes. A gentleman, a “dandy”, knelt down on one knee in front of her, paying tribute to this muse of the 20th century.
Worship of Fashion, 1971
Alice in Wonderland, 1984. Based on the gouache original from 1977.
Alice is one of Dali's most beloved characters. She is an eternal child, responding to the confusion of the Looking Glass world with the indestructible naivety of childhood. After meeting with the residents of this fantasy world she returns to reality not only unharmed, but also unchanged. In Dali's sculpture, Alice's jump rope turned into a braided cord, symbolizing daily life. Her hands and hair blossomed with roses, personifying feminine beauty and eternal youth.
Prototype drawing, 1977
Adoration of Terpsichore, 1984. Based on a 1977 drawing.
Terpsichore is one of the nine famous mythological muses. Interpreting the image of the muse of dance in his own way, Dali creates two mirror images, contrasting a soft and sensual figure with a hard and frozen one. The absence of facial features emphasizes the symbolic sound of the composition. The dancer, with her flowing classical forms, represents Grace and the unconscious, while the angular, cubist second figure speaks of the ever-increasing and chaotic rhythm of modern life.
Lady Godiva and the Butterflies, 1984. Based on a 1976 drawing.
One of the favorite characters of the great master of surrealism was Lady Godiva. By creating this sculpture, Dali glorifies her sensual and feminine image. Butterflies announcing Lady Godiva's arrival not only float around her and her noble steed, but also adorn her body as she plays the trumpet. Lady Godiva embodies earthly beauty, while butterflies represent the ethereal otherworld.
According to medieval legend, lovely lady Godiva was the wife of Count Leofric. The count's subjects suffered from exorbitant taxes, and Godiva unsuccessfully begged her husband to reduce them. Once at a feast, while drunk, Leofric promised to reduce taxes if his wife rode naked on a horse through the streets of Coventry. The Earl was sure that his condition was impossible, but Lady Godiva took this bold step, putting the interests of her people above personal honor and pride. The inhabitants of the city, loving and respecting their mistress, closed the shutters and doors of their houses on the appointed day, and none of them went out into the street. The count, amazed by his wife’s dedication, kept his word.
Drawing - sculpture prototype
Lady Godiva and the butterflies, detail
Space Elephant, 1980
From the story of Benjamin Levy, President of Dali Universe: “My favorite sculpture is the “Cosmic Elephant”. It just caused real battles between Dali and me. He wanted to make the elephant’s legs with three toes, like birds. It seemed to me that this was not very the public would like that such a decision would not be successful from a commercial point of view. I suggested that Dali put the elephant on the legs of the horse. But he did not want to! Fortunately, Dali’s wife, Gala, intervened. She said: “Do it as Monsieur Levi wants.” And Dali changed jobs. Gala loved money very much. But Dali, to be honest, didn’t care - he didn’t know the value of money, his pocket was always empty. For him, money meant nothing, but Gala was different - she loved money. "
The sculpture “Cosmic Elephant” represents an important symbol for Dali, born in 1946, when the artist was working on the famous painting “The Temptation of St. Anthony.” The image of an elephant carrying an obelisk through the Egyptian desert was created by Dali as a symbol of the presence and development of technology in modern world. In the painting, four elephants walk on spider-like legs, signifying desire, and offer gifts of art, beauty, power, pleasure and knowledge.
The Temptation of St. Anthony, 1946. Royal Museum fine arts, Brussels.
Cosmic Venus, 1984. Based on a gouache original from 1977
Venus is the goddess of beauty. Dali, paying tribute to the female figure, endows her with his own special elements. The sculpture is based on a classical form marble statue female torso, to which four elements are added: a soft watch, an egg, two ants and the division of the body into two parts. A watch slung over the neck communicates two opposing ideas. On the one hand, the beauty of the flesh is temporary and will certainly disappear. On the other hand, the beauty of art is eternal and timeless.
Cosmic Venus, detail
Ants serve as a reminder of human mortality and impermanence. Between the two parts of "Cosmic Venus" we see an egg, which, like the ant, was Dali's favorite theme. It embodies the duality of a hard outer shell and a soft content. The egg turns out to be a positive symbol, representing life, rebirth, resurrection and the future.
Unicorn, 1984. Based on a 1977 drawing.
Legends depict the unicorn as a symbol of purity. His horn is credited with the ability to neutralize any poison. This mythical animal is also associated with chastity and virginity, both male and female. For this reason, his image became the conventional image or emblem of a noble knight. In addition, some legends present the unicorn as a symbol of masculinity. Dali decided to depict him as a kind of phallic figure whose horn pierces stone wall through a heart-shaped hole from which a drop of blood flows. The sensual nature of the sculpture is emphasized by the figure of a naked woman lying in the foreground.
"Agony of Love", 1978.
Two more drawings by Dali with similar motifs:
Adam and Eve, 1984. Based on a gouache original from 1968.
In this perfect work, Dali depicts the Garden of Eden: Adam, Eve, the snake and the complex tension between them. The artist recreates the very moment when Eve offers Adam the forbidden fruit. Adam, not knowing what awaits them if he succumbs to temptation, raises his hand in amazement and hesitation. Knowing about the coming suffering of a pair of snakes, it tries to console the doomed and curls up into the shape of a heart. Thus, he reminds Adam and Eve that love️ creates a whole that always more than the amount separate parts.
Adam and Eve, detail.
The nobility of time, 1984. Based on a gouache original from 1977.
Dali's soft clock falls on a dead tree, the branches of which have already given birth new life, and the roots covered the stone. The tree trunk also serves as a support for the clock. The term "watch crown" in English usually refers to the mechanical device that allows you to set the hands and wind the watch. However, time in Dali's Universe cannot be set, and the clock itself does not have inner strength and movement. Without movement, the "crown" becomes a royal crown, which adorns the clock and indicates that time does not serve people, but rules over them.
Vision of an Angel, 1984. Based on a 1977 drawing.
Salvador Dali interprets classical religious images through the prism of surrealist perception. In this sculpture thumb, from which life arises (tree branches), symbolizes the power and dominance of God. By right side from the deity is humanity: a man in his prime vitality. By left side- an angel symbolizing the spirit of contemplation; his wings rest on a crutch. Although man is united with God, divine knowledge is superior to his own.
Drawing - prototype of sculpture
St. George and the Dragon, 1984. Based on a gouache original from 1977.
The largest sculpture in the exhibition is “St. George and the Dragon.” This is a well-known plot of the battle of Light against the forces of Evil. But in the image of George Dali portrayed himself, and the woman greeting the hero symbolizes the muse of surrealism.
Symbols of the Universe by Salvador Dali
Dali constantly uses certain symbols to enhance the sound of his works. The contrast of the hard shell and the soft interior is one of the central ideas of his Universe. It is consistent with the psychological concept that people place (hard) defenses around their (soft) vulnerable psyche.
Angels
They have the ability to penetrate heaven, communicate with God and find a mystical union with the artist. The figures of angels painted by Dali often borrow the features of Gala, who for Dali embodies purity and nobility.
Supports (crutches)
This is a symbol of support for weak figures who are unable to maintain their shape. As a child, Dali discovered an old crutch in the attic of his father’s house and never parted with it. This object gave him confidence and pride.
Elephants
Dali's elephants are usually endowed with long legs, on their backs are obelisks as signs of power and dominance. A heavy load, supported by thin, fragile legs, seems to gain weightlessness.
Snails
The snail is connected to significant event in Dali's life: his meeting with Sigmund Freud. Dali believed that nothing happens by chance, and since then he has associated the snail with Freud and his ideas. He was also fascinated by the combination of the snail's hard shell and its soft body.
Ants
Symbol of decay and decay. Dali first encountered ants as a child, watching them eat the decomposed remains of small animals. He observed this process with fascination and disgust and continued to use ants in his works as a symbol of decadence and ephemerality.
Soft watch
Dali often said: “The embodiment of the flexibility of time and the indivisibility of space is liquid.” The softness of Dali's clock also refers to the feeling that the speed of time, while scientifically precise, can vary greatly in a person's subjective perception.
Egg
Christian symbol of resurrection, purity and perfection. For Dali, the egg is associated with a previous life, intrauterine development and a new rebirth.
Sea urchin
Its "exoskeleton", bristling with spines, can be very dangerous and painful on contact. But this shell has a soft body - and it was one of Dali's favorite dishes. Sink sea urchin, cleared of thorns, appears in many of the artist’s paintings.
Bread
Dali was always a big fan of bread. He began to depict bread in his paintings out of fear of losing it. He also included bread in his surrealist compositions. In this case, bread most often appears in a “hard” phallic form, as opposed to a “soft” clock.
Landscapes
Classic realistic landscapes full of strange and sometimes impossible objects often appear in Dali's works. They help create an atmosphere of unreality in his paintings, but at the same time remind of his native Catalonia and the vast plain that surrounds Figueres, where Dalí lived.
Drawer
Human bodies with drawers appear repeatedly in Dali's paintings and sculptures. They symbolize memory and the unconscious and belong to the Freudian "box of ideas", expressing hidden impulses and hidden secrets that can however be revealed.
Venus de Milo
It has long been part of the artist’s personal mythology. She was the first female figure that Dali, while still a boy, sculpted from a reproduction that decorated the family dining room.
“The fact that at the time of working on my paintings I myself do not understand their meaning does not mean at all that there is no meaning in them.”
Salvador Dali