SALVADOR DALÍ

EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF

THE PARENTAL FIGURE ON
ARTWORK AND PSYCHE.

Jenna Bailey
Word count: 5901
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................3

Early Influences ...............................................................................................................................................5

Rift between Generations...............................................................................................................................8

Artistic Development into Surrealism ...........................................................................................................11

Symbolism through William Tell ...................................................................................................................13

Analysis of Composition: William Tell, 1930 .................................................................................................16

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................................20

Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................................22

Table of Figures .....................................................................................................................................24

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INTRODUCTION
Success as an artist requires creativity, artistic talent and individuality: all traits Salvador Dalí had in
abundance and utilized thoroughly to accrue fame. However, these characteristics were heavily
influenced by the intensely negative relationship Dalí had with his father, Salvador Dalí i Cusí. As a
result of his father’s authoritarian approach to parenting and obsession with perfection, Salvador
Dalí developed incredible artistic ability and a fervent drive to succeed, in order to prove his worth
to his father. Dalí’s father was a vital influence on his son’s artwork, without which Dalí’s paintings
would not have been able to portray the dark emotions that make his artwork unique and
successful.

The relationship between Salvador Dalí and his father was very strained. Dalí’s father was ashamed
of his son’s eccentricities and did not view art a serious career, which created tension between the
two culminating in banishment from the family. In his artwork, Dalí depicted his father as a villain,
representing him with threatening symbols such as lion heads and muscular men, as well as linking
them to figures cowering away to signify the fear and shame Dalí felt around his father. Dalí took
inspiration from stories and myths revolving around powerful figures, such as Jupiter, the
omnipotent god; Lenin, an authoritarian Marxist tyrant; and finally, William Tell a self-righteous
marksman who Dalí referenced many times in his work as Dalí drew parallels between his life and
Tell’s legend. William Tell selfishly risked his son’s life to save his own, thus he was portrayed on the
canvas as someone to be hated and feared.

Like Dalí, I have found inspiration for my artwork within my family. However, in contrast, my work
focusses on matriarchal influences, rather than the father-son relationship focussed on by Dalí.
Concentrating on the female figures within family has allowed me to investigate the importance of
female influence by exploring the impact of a mother’s love as a child grows and develops.

Analysis of Salvador Dalí’s art has informed me of techniques and styles that have in turn influenced
my own work. Taking inspiration from his paintings and emulating Dalí’s smooth and detailed style
has allowed me to evolve and refine my artwork, showcasing different artistic techniques within my
project. Dalí used collage in his paintings to show multiple components coming together to create a
new overall image. Based on this, I have adapted traditional family portraits to interlink the different
members through collage and overlapping images, creating compositions of merged faces to
represent the family as a single unit.

My project has the overall purpose of explaining the inner workings of the family unit, taking
influence from how Dalí’s paintings each have a specific message relating to his life; thus his oeuvre
is allegorical. I have explored this concept by depicting the key aspects of family life that affect a
person’s psyche: including ways children are taught and nurtured, emotional events that impact a
family, and the effect of heritage and looking back at the past. These topics were inspired by
experiences between Salvador Dalí and his father during his youth and rise to fame that influenced
Dalí’s character.

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The dynamic relationship between Dalí and his father provided Salvador Dalí with the skills and mind-set
necessary to succeed as an artist. The mutual hatred between Dalí and his father gave Dalí strong
negative emotions to root his work in, and inspired content for his art which he represented through
symbolism and metaphors. The emotional intensity is conveyed so powerfully through his paintings that
the dark mood is projected onto the viewer, generating a sense of empathy. Though Salvador Dalí’s
legacy labels him one of the most successful artists of the Modern era, this could not have been achieved
without the influence of his father.

Figure 1: Salvador Dali, his father Salvador Dalí i

Cusí, and his wife, Gala, photographed at Batlles-
Compte Barcelona in 1848

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Early Influences

Growing up in Figueras, in the North-Spanish region of Catalonia, Salvador Dalí’s early childhood was
happy and healthy by all accounts – except perhaps his own. Dalí’s parents supported and provided
him with the means to pursue his interests, though they had opposing beliefs about almost all other
aspects of how to raise their son. Felipa Domenach, Dalí’s mother, was doting, perhaps
overprotective, and a devout Catholic, expecting her children to routinely attend church. 1 On the
other hand, Dalí’s father, Salvador Dalí i Cusí, was an Atheist and freethinker, enrolling his son in a
non-religious school to prevent him from experiencing a Catholic education. 2 When Dalí was sixteen
years old, his mother died, leaving him and his sister, Anna Maria, to be raised by their father.

Dalí’s early influences are prevalent to the development of his psyche. During his youth and early
years as an artist, Dalí had a strong aversion to religion in general, claiming it “corrupt, ignorant and
hypocritical” 3. He spent much of his youth rejecting religion and instead embracing the traditional
Catalan ideology that the only things that exist are things that one can see, hear, touch, taste or
smell. This allowed him to channel his imagination into creating surreal images of irrational scenes
and taboos. 4 The lack of religious connotation in Dalí’s work allowed him to be more insightful and
root his symbolism purely within his own life.

Figure 2: Stills from Un Chien Andalou, 1929 (Minute 10)

Dalí’s greatest problem with religion, it seems, is the complex system of rules that must be followed
to commit to the religion and avoid sin. This is depicted in a short film that Dalí co-wrote with
surrealist film-maker Louis Buñuel, titled Un Chien Andalou. In one scene, the antagonist struggles to
carry two tablets holding the Ten Commandments which he intends to use to beat the protagonist. 5
This excellently displays Dalí’s opinion of religious laws: not only are they a burden - to be carried
with great difficulty – but they are also weapons that can be used against him by highlighting his sins
and limiting his freedom. Dalí’s distaste for the rules of religion reflects directly on the strict rules of
his father growing up.

1
Swinglehurst, E. - 1996. Salvador Dalí: Exploring the Irrational
2
Thames and Hudson, 1994. Salvador Dalí: the early years
3
National Gallery of Victoria - 2009. Salvador Dalí: Liquid Desire. [Online]
Available at: http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/Dalí/salvador/resources/DalíandReligion.pdf
4
The Art Story, n.d. Surrealism. [Online]
Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/movement-surrealism.htm
5
Un Chien Andalou. 1929. [Film] Directed by Luis Buñuel. France
Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=054OIVlmjUM

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Dalí’s father’s principles had significant impact on Salvador Dalí’s temperament during his youth and
rise to fame. Dalí recalled in his autobiography, The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí, his father’s
“intensely domineering” authoritative presence, and his rebellion against his father through
bedwetting, tantrums, poor performance at school and insulting teachers. 6 This was followed by
liberal political activities as retaliation against his father’s political beliefs which resulted in a brief
visit to prison – infuriating his father even more. According to an article titled The Mind of the
Authoritarian, this type of defiance is not unusual for children of authoritarian upbringing, as the
lack of outward love causes them to crave attention of any kind, and frequent punishment and
shaming when a child makes mistakes or disobeys leaves them hostile towards adults and authority
figures. 7 To combat his feelings of inadequacy, Dalí became intensely detail driven. He carefully
planned every detail of his to ensure he received the exact outcome he desired. By the age of
sixteen he had the next eight years of his life planned, as he wrote in his diary:

“I SHALL QUICKLY FINISH MY BACHILLERATO, IF NECESSARY DOING THE REMAINING TWO YEARS IN
JUST ONE. THEN I’LL GO TO MADRID TO THE ACADEMIA DE BELLAS ARTES … THERE I INTEND TO
SPEND THREE YEARS WORKING LIKE MAD, … THEN BY SACRIFICING MYSELF AND SUBMITTING TO
TRUTH I WILL WIN THE PRIZE TO STUDY FOR FOUR YEARS IN ROME; AND COMING BACK FROM ROME
I’LL BE A GENIUS, AND THE WORLD WILL ADMIRE ME.” 8

Dalí’s interaction with his father as a child proved to be highly influential to his mind-set, which has
inspired reflection in my own work. I have explored how a child may grow up to have similar views
and beliefs as their immediate family, particularly their parents. Since it is the actions of close family
that children experience most often, the likelihood that they
will emulate these actions and opinions, consciously or
unconsciously, as they grow up is increased. This also means
children who lack nurture are likely to be a colder or more
neglectful adult – again prevalent in Salvador Dalí who as an
adult found emotions such as love difficult to deal with, which
can be correlated with the effect of having a father who did
not understand or acknowledge his son’s feelings and
insecurities.

Following research into the impact of parental love on early

brain development, and learning that mother’s love directly
affects the growth of the part of the brain that enables
learning, memory and response to stress9, I completed a chalk
study [Figure 2] depicting a woman cradling her granddaughter Figure 3: First-hand chalk study
Grandmother cradling baby
6
Harris, N., 1994 - The Life and Works of Dalí
7
Furnham Ph.D., A. - 2015. The Mind of the Authoritarian [Online]
Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sideways-view/201502/the-mind-the-authoritarian
8
Thames and Hudson, 1994. Salvador Dalí: the early years. Page 21
9
Hsu, C., 2012. Chilling Brain Scans Show the Impact of a Mother's Love on a Child's Brain Size. [Online]
Available at: http://www.medicaldaily.com/chilling-brain-scans-show-impact-mothers-love-childs-brain-size-243328

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in her arms, looking lovingly at her. I also learned that someone who was nurtured and loved deeply
throughout their childhood will generally be a happier person; less likely to become depressed, more
tolerant towards people, less stressed and more accepting of challenges. This analysis draws
parallels with Dalí who, lacking warmth and love as a child, was known to have acute paranoia and
temper tantrums. 10

As an incredibly reserved person in his youth, embodying “timidity itself” according to one of his
friends José ‘Pepín’ Bello 11, Dalí felt that the only way to escape his insecurities was to be a genius.
However, Dalí’s need for genius quickly developed into an obsessive need for fame to an extent
where he was prepared to do anything to bring awareness to his name and his work. Dalí wrote in
his diary how every movement, outfit and hairstyle was engineered to generate the most attention,
intrigue, shock or amazement; admitting he is a “refined egotist” 12. As with everything Salvador Dalí
put his mind to, he was highly successful: to this day one of the most famous artists of the Modern
era.

10
Shock, D., 2009. Did Salvador Dalí Suffer from Mental Illness? [Online]
Available at: http://www.shockmd.com/2009/09/07/psychopathology-of-salvador-Dalí/
11
Bello, D. J. - 1992. Residencia de Estudiantes, Madrid [Interview] (14 October 1992).
12
Dalí, S., 1919-1920. Unpublished Diaries. Impressions and Intimate Memories.

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RIFT BETWEEN GENERATIONS
When Dalí grew serious about his pursuit of art, his father was
largely unsupportive. Dalí’s “artistic future frightened him” as
he did not view art as a real career and “he would have
preferred anything to that”. 13 To save face and ensure he did
not have a failure as a son, Dalí’s father pushed Salvador
mercilessly to hone his talent. Dalí recalled in his book Secret
Life of Salvador Dalí, an argument over the dimensions of a
drawing for his bachillerato leaving his father “livid with
impatience” 14.

Dalí struggled to cope with the pressure of living up to his

father’s expectations, reflecting that some nights his anxiety
escalated until he could not eat or sleep. 15 I have shown in my
own work the difficulty of living up to the expectations and
achievements of older generations by looking back at the
Figure 4: Portrait of the Artist's
youths of older members of my own family and comparing
Father and Sister, 1925
them to my own. To portray this visually, I have painted a
young girl who is overshadowed by the image of her grandmother looming behind her [Figure 4]. The
grandmother holds a pose of judgement, which leads the viewer to think that the girl is expected to
live up to the achievements of her grandmother. The irony of this is that the grandmother is still
young, the image is taken from before she has accomplished her own legacy. However, this
illustrates the undue stress people place on themselves to fit in with what they believe is ‘normal’ or
expected of them.

Figure 5: First hand oil painting

Legacy of the grandmother hangs over girl
13
Dalí, S. - 1942. The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí. Page 140
14
Dalí, S. - 1942. The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí. Page 157
15
Dalí, S. - 1942. The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí. Page 157

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Following his first one-man exhibition at the Delmau Gallery in Barcelona, Dalí’s fame began to grow.
But simultaneously, his relationship with his father fell apart. Becoming a member of the Paris
Surrealists in 1925 and immediately buying into the lavish lifestyle of the group, Dalí gained the
nickname Avida Dollars (a clever anagram of his name, Salvador Dalí, roughly translating to ‘greedy
for dollars’). 16 This lifestyle depended on loans from his father, which were eventually cut off leaving
only a “modest monthly sum ludicrously inadequate to the style of living which [his] orgiastic
recrudescence was going to require”. 17 Therefore, to fund his extravagant existence, Dalí pawned
family heirlooms and stole from the copious supply of “rich men’s sons” in Paris, which infuriated his
father. Fed up with his son’s unnecessary spending, outlandish behaviour and flamboyant attire,
Salvador Dalí i Cusí banished his son from the family. In a letter to Luis Buñuel, Dalí’s father clarified:
“My son has no right to embitter my life … My peace of mind is disturbed by the presence of my
son”. Stating that, if Dalí was to return to Cadaqués (the town where his father lived), he should
prepare to either defend both a legal and physical attack that his father “intend[s] to win at all
costs”. 18

Figure 6: Dalí and Babou the Ocelot, 1965 Photograph by Philippe Halsman
Disparity between generations is a factor of life, but it is particularly evident in disconnection
between Salvador Dalí and his father. For my own work I have showcased the difference between
the present and the past in a happier and more nostalgic light, rather than displaying a lack of union
and understanding between generations due to changes to society as time has passed. I have
portrayed someone looking back at people who are reminiscent of who they used to be, or people
looking forward at who they wish to become. Figure 6 depicts a parent looking back at her children,
reflecting on a more carefree attitude with fewer priorities at their age. This level of self-awareness
and nostalgia is something that Dalí’s father likely did not feel when looking at his children, which
may explain the disconnection between him and his son.

16
Néret, G. - 2000. Dalí. Page 92
17
Dalí, S. - 1942. The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí. Page 201
18
Thames and Hudson, 1994. Salvador Dalí: the early years. Page 44

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 Figure 7: First hand oil painting
Mother looking back at her children’s youth with nostalgia

During this period, when Dalí’s relationship with his father rapidly changed, a distinctive
transformation is evident in his artistic style and the subject of his paintings. Previous to 1929, and
before his relationship with his father turned to one of hatred, Dalí primarily painted still lives and
landscapes and had yet to develop a personal painting style, switching between large visible brush
strokes reminiscent of the expressionists, and a minimal style which used blocks of colour to form an
image. As Dalí distanced himself from his father, his work began to tell stories via complex scenes
relating to his life, commonly revolving around the negative force in Dalí’s life that was his father.

Figure 8: Cala Nans, 1925 Figure 9: Still Life and Mauve Moonlight, 1925
As these two major events in Dalí’s life happened concurrently: his transitional art period and
banishment from his family, it can be inferred that there is a factor of causation between the two
events. The sudden lack of relationship between Dalí and his father gave him the freedom to be self-
aware, and express himself and his feelings on the canvas, enabling success as a surrealist.

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ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT INTO SURREALISM
The 1920s marked Salvador Dalí’s movement into Surrealism. His painting style developed from
loose post-impressionistic still-lives and landscapes, through a brief phase of cubism, to an ultra-
smooth and high contrast style, which soon became staple for Dalí. This change was particularly
prevalent during Dalí’s early twenties: he exchanged the visible brush strokes and blurry detail for a
smooth, blended finish and sharpened features. Dalí’s development can be seen in two portraits
both named Portrait of My Father. His later paintings gained a very wide depth of field, so every
aspect of the painting is equally sharp, regardless of how far away it is from the observer. This style
intends to mimic human vision and gives the viewer a realistic viewing experience, despite the
cartoon-like painting style.

Figure 10: Portrait of My Father, 1920 Figure 11: Portrait of My Father, 1925
In a style reminiscent of Dalí’s, I have used oil paint in multiple thin layers, with small brushes to
blend the colours together evenly and create a smooth and sharp finish. The painting depicts an
embrace between father and daughter, showing how children rely on their parents for support. As
Dalí commonly painted people who had important influence in his life, such as his parents, sister and
wife, my own father and sister are the subjects of this painting, as they are important figures in my

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Figure 12: First hand oil painting
Embrace between father and daughter
life.

During Dalí’s transitional period, the subject of his work also became more complex: unifying figures,
objects and free-form shapes in abstract scenes intended to provoke thought in the observer. Dalí’s
paintings were inspired by dreams, however rather than irrational and wacky, he had dreams
“within the strict limits of the possible” and “linked to an actual event”. 19 But to make his work
surrealist, Dalí would exaggerate and distort the idea until the reality of the scene is confused with
an absurd dreamscape riddled with deep metaphorical meaning.

Figure 13: Portrait of Paul Eluard, 1929

In the Spring of 1929, Dalí was introduced to the writings of Sigmund Freud, sparking interest in
psychology and analysis of the inner workings of the mind. From this, Dalí’s work became even more
personal, his paintings depicting representations of key figures, events, fears and desires, with the
portrayal of Dalí’s deteriorating relationship with his father one of his most prominent themes.

19
Dalí, S. - 1942. The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí. Page 167

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SYMBOLISM THROUGH WILLIAM TELL
Dalí’s first acknowledgment of William Tell was in November 1929, after receiving a letter from his
father informing him of his “irrevocable banishment” 20 from the family. Dalí wrote the day after
receiving this letter “I took a sea-urchin, placed it on my head, and stood at attention before my
shadow– William Tell.” When the myth of William Tell is considered, Dalí’s action has significant
metaphorical implications in relation to his father.

The legend tells of a famous marksman, William Tell, who was arrested and sentenced to be killed
for refusing to bow in respect to the town mayor Albrecht Gessler’s hat. However before executing
him, Gessler gave Tell the chance to save his life by shooting an apple off his young son’s head with a
single bolt from his crossbow. Tell succeeds in his task, though he took two bolts from his quiver
with the intention that, should he have missed, the second bolt was intended for Gessler’s heart.
Furious upon learning this, Gessler ships Tell off to the dungeon, but when a storm hits Tell is
summoned to the helm to help he crew. Once on deck, Tell leads the boat to a rocky area and
abandons the ship to find and kill Gessler. 21

Figure 15: Photograph taken

of Salvador Dalí with a Sea- Figure 14: William Tell, mythical Swiss hero, shooting an apple
urchin on his head, 1929 from his son's head
In the photograph, Dalí intended for the sea-urchin placed on his head to symbolise the apple placed
on Tell’s son’s head, making clear that he identifies with the son, and therefore Dalí’s father is
William Tell, the protagonist of the story – but more importantly to Dalí – the man with the
knowledge and the power to destroy him.

Unlike the mythology, Tell is not portrayed as a hero in Dalí’s paintings, he is distorted to represent a
villain. He is painted holding castration scissors towards a cowering figure in William Tell (1930), and
aggressively pulling a woman’s hair in William Tell and Gradiva (1931). The vilification of William Tell

20
Dalí, S. - 1942. The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí. Page 253
21
Wernick, R., 2005. In Search of William Tell. [Online]
Available at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-search-of-william-tell-2198511/

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reflects Dalí’s dislike for his father and their deteriorating relationship, suggesting that William Tell is
not a hero, but a villain in disguise. Although he is considered a hero in the legend, William Tell
proves himself to be ruthless and self-indulgent by risking his son’s life to save his own, by betraying
the crew at the helm of the ship and ultimately because he kills Gessler. Dalí’s father similarly proves
himself ruthless in a letter threatening Dalí that if he breaks his banishment, he will be “looking for
opportunities to attack” his son and “intend[s] to win at all costs” 22.

However, like all symbols used by Surrealists, the figure of William Tell has multiple meanings and
was not simply a figure intended to represent his villainous father. As Dalí’s relationship with his
father dissolved, William Tell evolved to represent the lack of relationship between the two,
paradoxically becoming a depiction of absence. Illustrating concepts that cannot be seen, such as
emotions and dreams, is a key component of surrealist art: Dalí’s interpretation of absence in the
form of a complex man reflects on Dalí’s complicated and confused emotions towards the situation.

Despite the negative undertone of Dalí’s reference William Tell, the positive moral of the story is
reflected in Salvador Dalí’s actions and mind-set. The legend of William Tell promotes being yourself
and not bowing down to the norms of society just because everyone else is. Dalí lived by these
values, always unabashedly being himself by wearing garish outfits, gaudy jewellery and bizarre
facial hair as a form of self-expression, unaffected by the “irreducible hatreds or the unanimous
fervour of [the public’s] fanatical opinions” 23.

22
Thames and Hudson, 1994. Salvador Dalí: the early years. Page 44
23
Thames and Hudson, 1994. Salvador Dalí: the early years. Page 188

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Figure 16: William Tell, Salvador Dalí 1930

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ANALYSIS OF COMPOSITION: WILLIAM TELL, 1930
The painting William Tell was completed in 1930 by Salvador Dalí and was the first in a series of four
oil paintings explicitly featuring William Tell. These are a few of many that act as metaphors for Dalí’s
relationship with his father, as the figure of William Tell is representative of Dalí’s own father.

Intricate detail is captured by Dalí in all aspects of this painting which is particularly impressive when
the small size of the painting is considered – an 87 x 113 cm canvas. Dalí manipulates the oil paint to
produce a very smooth finish with no visible brush strokes, creating a photorealistic effect which he
referred to as “Instantaneous and hand-done colour photography” 24. The high level of detail in this
painting displays Dalí’s meticulous approach to design as every aspect of the image, including the
figures, the setting and the lighting, has a metaphoric meaning that is carefully thought out prior to
the application of paint.

At the right of the painting rests William Tell, intended to represent Dalí’s father, with one knee on a
plinth and chin turned up, leering down at a figure in the bottom left of the painting who is cowering
away from him. Tell’s posture signifies power, showing that he considers himself more important
than the cowering figure, who represents the son of William Tell and therefore Dalí himself. This is
further emphasised by the bright light hitting Tell’s chest, which is puffed out in pride, highlighting
and drawing contrast to the cowering figure who is obscured by shadow and shows shameful body
language as he is hiding his face.

Figure 18: Detail of William Tell, 1930. Figure 17: Detail of William Tell, Dalí,
Bright light on Tell’s Chest 1930.
//

24
Dalí, S., 1935. Conquest of the Irrational. New-York: Julien Levi Publisher. Page 13

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 Figure 19: Detail of William Tell, Dalí, 1930
https://www salvador-dali org/en/artwork/catalogue-raisonne/1930-
Tell is holding a pair of bloody scissors angled towards the cowering figure’s genitals, who has
attempted to conceal them with a leaf. This reflects on Dalí’s fear of castration, stemmed from his
youth when his father would show him graphic images of genitals disfigured by venereal diseases. 25
These two characters interact by pointing at each other, Tell menacingly and the cowering figure
accusingly, which is representative of Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam, a painting that depicts a
relationship between father and son in which the father, God, is the story’s hero rather than the son
– a story more commonly told. Generally, in myths and legends, the son is the protagonist, for
example the stories of Hamlet and Oedipus, hence it is unusual for Dalí to identify with a tale in
which the father is the hero, suggesting that Dalí does not consider himself the hero of his story.

Figure 20: Detail of The Creation of Figure 21: Detail of William Tell, Dalí, 1930
Adam, Michelangelo, 1508-1512

The left-hand side of the painting is shrouded in darkness. Dalí used primarily cool tones to create an
atmosphere of sadness and fear, conjuring in the viewer a melancholy sense of resignation towards
whatever is coming. The bright yellow sky in the centre of the image cuts through the shadows
surrounding the bottom and left of the painting, creating a line of contrast between the aura of fear
and shame in the bottom-left and the atmosphere of power and pride in the top-right. Dalí placed
strong highlights on the upper body of William Tell, the rear and genitals of a horse, and a lion’s
head. These signify some of Dalí’s greatest fears, as they all have links to his fears of castration, the
female body and genophobia (fear of sexual intercourse). For example, the lion head that can be
seen in the centre-right of the painting, which Dalí referred to as “vagina dentata” (toothed vagina),
is representative of the female’s ability to injure or even castrate a man during sexual acts. 26
Through light and shade, Dalí draws attention to his fears: an ironic action for someone who suffers

25
Fuchs, J., 2014. 10 Depraved Secrets of Salvador Dalí. [Online]
Available at: https://listverse.com/2014/05/26/10-depraved-secrets-of-salvador-Dalí/
26
Roizman, I., 2015. Dalí: Fuelled by Fear and Fascinations [Online]
Available at: http://illusion.scene360.com/art/86743/salvador-Dalí-fears-and-fascinations/

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anxiety and pathological fears, claiming to be “paralyzed by a mortal fear” at the mere idea of kissing
a woman. 27

Figure 22: Detail of William Tell, Dalí, 1930

Spawning from William Tell’s head and shoulders is a bizarre scene of seemingly random images that
Dalí has woven together to give purpose to the shapes. It features a man with the head of a lion
spawning from his face, playing a grand piano, on which lies the carcass of an insect ridden donkey,
with a white horse leaping over the whole scene. The peculiar images float in the sky, and as they
are spawning from someone’s head it suggests that this scene is made up of ideas inspired by
dreams, as “dreams are made up of flashes of thoughts and images from your waking life” 28.

Collaging different shapes and objects to form a compound image is a technique commonly used by
surrealist artists. It allows them to explore the complexity of the human mind by displaying the
range of thoughts and ideas that come together to form a coherent image. Combining multiple
shapes into one unit, a technique that was pioneered by Dalí, can be seen in the paintings William
Tell [Figure 13] and The Portrait of Paul Eluard, 1929 [Figure 12]. I have incorporated this idea into my
own work by merging together the faces of members of different generations within the family, to
demonstrate parental influence. A parent may push their values onto a child which could result in
the child developing a similar mind-set to their parent. The irony of this is that it morphs them into
the same person as their parent, which the painting visually displays.

27
Dalí, S. - 1942. The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí. Page 108
28
Lewis, K. K., n.d. The Facts About Dreams. [Online]
Available at: https://www.realsimple.com/health/mind-mood/dreams/facts-about-dreams#what-are-dreams

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 Figure 23: First hand oil painting
Mother and daughter form a family unit

In my art work, I have shown how the temperament of parents influences their children’s emotional
state. For my painting [Figure 17] both figures are smiling, as the mother’s happiness is reflected
back onto her daughter. However, if Salvador Dalí had painted his family members in this way, it is
likely that he would have focussed on the negativity that he felt within his family, rather than the
positivity and contentment I feel with mine. I believe that not only would Dalí have portrayed only
dark emotions, he also would have utilised metaphors to symbolise his family, rather than their own
faces, perhaps referencing his father through William Tell and himself in cowering figures and
distorted heads as he has in many other places

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CONCLUSION
Salvador Dalí’s father was a vital component to his son’s success. The demanding and controlling
presence of his father throughout his youth governed Dalí’s temperament into adulthood, giving him
the necessary drive and skills to achieve fame. Dalí’s collective work portrays his life, depicting
people that influenced him and major events in his life, thus many of his paintings revolved around
the relationship Dalí had with his father. The powerfully negative emotional intensity of the
relationship between Salvador Dalí and his father was to prove the foundation of much of his art,
and the portrayal of such dynamic emotions on canvas gave Dalí’s work the unique angle that was
required for the success of Dalí’s art.

Dalí’s Father negatively affected his son’s psyche by showing him minimal love at a young age owing
to his “intensely domineering” 29 authoritarian parenting style and discouragement from pursuing a
career in art. By pushing his son to his limits to refine his talent, Dalí developed a desperate drive to
succeed, to prove his worth to his father. However, the negativity and hatred Dalí felt towards his
father was advantageous for his art, as it provided him with dark underlying messages that could be
communicated powerfully through his art.

Dalí was obsessed with detail and perfection, which is evident both in his artwork and in his fame-
driven personality. Painting in a highly realistic manner, using precise brushstrokes and a smooth
finish, Dalí created sharp and realistic artwork, reminiscent of human vison. My own work has been
inspired by his technique, and I have emulated both his smooth and blended style, as well as his
hyper-sharp and realistic artistry in my own paintings. Dalí’s compositions collaged multiple images,
distorting and merging them together to create paintings displaying a range of sentiments specific to
his life. Dalí referenced mythology, manipulated light and dark to emphasise mood and used layers
of metaphors and symbolism in order to make his work complex and interesting. For example, the
hatred, fear and sadness that Dalí felt towards his father was shown in William Tell [Figure 13]. He
linked the disposition of William Tell’s character to multiple meanings, allowing Dalí to explore a
range of ideas and emotions through one person, displaying the high level of thought and planning
that Dalí put into his paintings. In my own work, I have developed on Dalí’s method of merging
shapes together by experimenting with overlay to portray the faces of multiple generations within
the family as a single entity.

Dalí’s paintings are allegorical. Each painting has a message, and Dalí’s oeuvre tells a story about his
life. Dalí is transparent in his work: he paints what is important to him, when it is important to him,
therefore when the complete body of his work is put together we can determine at any point how
major events in his life were affecting his emotional state. For example, we can tell that family and
home was most important to him during his early years as an artist, as his early work consisted of
portraits of family members and landscapes around his home town. And when his life was
commanded by conflict with his father, Dalí’s work contained symbols representing these emotions.

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Harris, N., 1994 - The Life and Works of Dalí

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The complexity of his compositions during this period reflects the confusing mix of emotions Dalí
was feeling about his father, ranging from fear and hatred to sadness and longing.

The way in which Dalí tells a story through his art is displayed in my own work. However, in contrast
with Dalí’s art which revolves around a person’s life, my work develops on a concept – it explains the
inner workings of the family unit. Using Dalí’s relationship with his father as inspiration, the key
ideas explored in my work include: the impact of early nurture, based on Dalí’s father’s authoritarian
approach to parenting; the significance of experiencing events and emotions as a family, reflecting
on the arguments Dalí had with his father leading to banishment; and the importance of heritage,
influenced by the pressure Dalí felt to live up to his father’s expectations.

Through analysis of Dalí’s life and my own oil, chalk, pencil and watercolour studies, I have explored
the psychological impact of parental influence on a person’s character in order to explain Dalí’s
psyche. The lack of familial love and the way Dalí was treated as a child may have affected his brain’s
development, leaving him more susceptible to anxiety and depression, which he was known to
experience, and left him attention starved, resorting to outlandish behaviour to gain attention. In my
own work, I have looked at the consequences of parents’ actions during a child’s upbringing by
showing how the values and beliefs of parents are linked to the outlook their children might grow up
to have. This is because children emulate their parents, and with parents pushing their opinions onto
their children, they may grow up to be the same person in ideals and principles as their parents.

An integral influence on Dalí’s art, Salvador Dalí i Cusí provided his son with substance, funds and the
motivation required for success as an artist. Dalí’s experience growing up with his father resulted in a
fearful and negative mind-set that, luckily for Dalí, translated well in his artwork. As a result of his father’s
influence, Dalí’s work evolved to showcase not only his artistic talent, but also his intelligence through
the metaphoric intricacy of his compositions. Thus, without his father’s influence, the content and quality
of Dalí’s artwork may have suffered, and Dalí’s obsessive need for fame may not have been satisfied. As
Dalí’s father governed the body of work that has inspired my own, Dalí’s father was therefore a
fundamental input to Salvador Dalí’s legacy – a master artist, visionary and genius.

Figure 24: Photograph of Salvador Dalí, Philippe Halsman, 1854

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ades, D., 1982. Dalí. London: Thames and Hudson.

Bello, D. J., 1992. Residencia de Estudiantes, Madrid [Interview] (14 October 1992).

Dalí, S., 1919-1920. Unpublished Diaries. Impressions and Intimate Memories.

Dali, S., 1935. Conquest of the Irrational. New-York: Julien Levi Publisher.

Dalí, S., 1942. The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí. Paris: Dial Press.

Fuchs, J., 2014. 10 Depraved Secrets Of Salvador Dali. [Online]

Available at: https://listverse.com/2014/05/26/10-depraved-secrets-of-salvador-dali/

Furnham Ph.D., A., 2015. The Mind of the Authoritarian. [Online]

Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sideways-view/201502/the-mind-the-authoritarian

Harris, N., 1994. The Life and Works of Dalí. Great Britain: Parragon Book Service.

Hsu, C., 2012. Chilling Brain Scans Show the Impact of a Mother's Love on a Child's Brain Size. [Online]
Available at: http://www.medicaldaily.com/chilling-brain-scans-show-impact-mothers-love-childs-brain-
size-243328

Lewis, K. K., n.d. The Facts About Dreams. [Online]

Available at: https://www.realsimple.com/health/mind-mood/dreams/facts-about-dreams#what-are-
dreams

National Gallery of Victoria, 2009. Salvador Dalí: Liquid Desire. [Online]

Available at: http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/dali/salvador/resources/DaliandReligion.pdf

Néret, G., 2000. Dalí. Cologne: taschen.

Roizman, I., 2015. Dali: Fuelled by Fear and Fascinations. [Online]

Available at: http://illusion.scene360.com/art/86743/salvador-dali-fears-and-fascinations/

Shock, D., 2009. Did Salvador Dali Suffer from Mental Illness?. [Online]
Available at: http://www.shockmd.com/2009/09/07/psychopathology-of-salvador-dali/

Swinglehurst, E., 1996. Salvador Dalí: Exploring the Irrational. Twickenham: Tiger Books.

Thames and Hudson, 1994. Salvador Dalí: the early years. London: Thames and Hudson.

The Art Story, n.d. Surrealism. [Online]

Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/movement-surrealism.htm

Un Chien Andalou. 1929. [Film] Directed by Luis Buñuel. France: s.n.

Un Chien Andalou. 1929. [Film] Directed by Luis Buñuel. France: s.n.

Vila, C. R., 1993. Salvador Dalí, Or the Art of Spitting on Your Mother's Portrait. Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania State University Press.

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Wernick, R., 2005. In Search of William Tell. [Online]
Available at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-search-of-william-tell-2198511/

WikiArt.org, n.d. Salvador Dalí: All Works. [Online]

Available at: https://www.wikiart.org/en/salvador-dali/all-works

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TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Salvador Dali, his father Salvador Dalí i Cusí, and his wife, Gala, photographed at Batlles-Compte
Barcelona in 1848 https://www.salvador-dali.org/en/dali/bio-dali/ .............................................................4
Figure 2: Stills from Un Chien Andalou, 1929 (Minute 10) .............................................................................5
Figure 3: First hand chalk study Grandmother cradling baby ........................................................................6
Figure 4: Portrait of the Artist's Father and Sister, 1925 http://museunacional.cat/en/colleccio/portrait-
my-father/salvador-Dalí/068839-000.............................................................................................................8
Figure 5: First hand oil painting Legacy of the grandmother hangs over girl ................................................8
Figure 6: Dalí and Babou the Ocelot, 1965 Photograph by Philippe Halsman http://art-
nerd.com/newyork/money-rules-everything-around-Dalí/ ...........................................................................9
Figure 7: First hand oil painting Mother looking back at her children’s youth with nostalgia .....................10
Figure 8: Cala Nans, 1925 https://www.wikiart.org/en/salvador-Dalí/cala-nans .......................................10
Figure 9: Still Life and Mauve Moonlight, 1925 https://www.wikiart.org/en/salvador-Dalí/still-life-with-
moonight.......................................................................................................................................................10
Figure 10: Portrait of My Father, 1920 https://www.wikiart.org/en/salvador-Dalí/portrait-of-my-father-
1921 ..............................................................................................................................................................11
Figure 11: Portrait of My Father, 1925 http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/great-
works/great-works-portrait-of-my-father-1925-by-salvador-Dalí-8886714.html........................................11
Figure 12: First hand oil painting Embrace between father and daughter...................................................11
Figure 13: Portrait of Paul Eluard, 1929 https://uploads7.wikiart.org/images/salvador-Dalí/portrait-of-
paul-eluard.jpg ..............................................................................................................................................12
Figure 14: Photograph taken of Salvador Dalí with a Sea-urchin on his head, 1929 ...................................13
Figure 15: William Tell, mythical Swiss hero, shooting an apple from his son's head
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-william-tell-mythical-swiss-folk-hero-shooting-the-apple-off-his-
sons-105254788.html ...................................................................................................................................13
Figure 16: William Tell, Salvador Dalí 1930 ..................................................................................................15
Figure 17: Detail of William Tell, 1930. Bright light on Tell’s Chest .............................................................16
Figure 18: Detail of William Tell, Dalí, 1930 ..................................................................................................16
Figure 19: Detail of William Tell, Dalí, 1930 ..................................................................................................17
Figure 20: Detail of The Creation of Adam, Michelangelo, 1508-1512
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Creation_of_Adam.jpg.......................................17
Figure 21: Detail of William Tell, Dalí, 1930 https://uploads5.wikiart.org/images/salvador-Dalí/william-
tell.jpg ...........................................................................................................................................................17
Figure 22: Detail of William Tell, Dalí, 1930 ..................................................................................................18
Figure 23: First hand oil painting Mother and daughter form a family unit .................................................19
Figure 24: Photograph of Salvador Dalí, Philippe Halsman, 1854
http://www.curatorial.org/postsforarchive/Dalís-moustache .....................................................................21

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