Jessica Levy

200921250
Activity 1: Salvador Dali
Salvador Dali was born on 11 May, 1904 and died on 23 January 1989, was a well-known
Spanish surrealist painter born in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain.

Dali was a skilled draftsman, best known for the bizarre images in his surrealist work.
His painterly skills are often recognized to the influence of Renaissance masters. His best-known
work, The Persistence of Memory, was completed in 1931. (See figure 1)

The Persistence of Memory was painted in oil on canvas and is 24.1/22 centimetres and was
completed in 1931. We see a sandy beach in the foreground and middle ground that appears dark,
like it's in shadow. The beach stretches toward the background, where it meets the ocean. In the
foreground you see many pocket watches, separated from their chains, and melting slowly on rocks
and a tree branch. This painting is at first misleading, as it is a fantasy scene placed over a very
realistic location. The main part of the painting is that “hard objects become inexplicably limp in this
bleak and infinite dreamscape” states The Museum of Modern Art.

This painting is realistically painted; the painting is photo-like. Each object in The Persistence of
Memory is painted with accuracy and is very recognizable.

Salvador Dali used several techniques when he painted. He used oil paints, the piece "Forgotten
Horizon," (see figure 2 ) painted in 1936, is an example of Dali's unique approach to oil painting. In
this work, he used wood panelling as his canvas and applied a white primer. After this, he painted the
background of the ocean, sky and sand. After applying the background, the figures were added. He
purposely added the shadowed detail to the left figure's face to emphasize its dream-like presence. In
the middle of the painting is a depressed figure walking towards a wrecked ship. This technique was
used to portray the middle figure as being a vital part of the environment, while the dancing figures on
the left were painted to give the impression that it was simply a part of the viewer's imagination.

Another example of Dali’s painting technique is Tempera. Dali often used the tempera technique
when painting. Tempera paintings are done with various minerals, such as egg yolks and water. In his
1922 cover for the "Fires i Festes de La Santa Creu," Dali approached tempera painting by combining
it with pointillism.

The surrealists, including and especially Dali, did not hide the fact that much of the imagery found in
their works came directly from hallucinations. Drugs and dreams alike become the driving forces
behind his unusual statements through his art. Furthermore, Dali felt that painting in this way provided
a much needed release, as he viewed painting in a similar way to that of making love.

Dalí employed extensive symbolism in his work. For instance, the hallmark "soft watches" that first
appear in The Persistence of Memory suggest Einstein's theory that time is relative and not fixed. The
idea for clocks functioning symbolically in this way came to Dalí when he was staring at a runny piece
of Camembert cheese on a hot August day

At the centre of The Persistence of Memory is a strange creature lying in the sand, looking lifeless.
Many art historians have said that this ‘monster’ actually is a self portrait of Dali himself, and “its long
eyelashes seem disturbingly insect like or even sexual” states The Museum of Modern Art. I think this
is how he perceived himself. In a sense where he was peaceful but had no direction or sense of time
to keep himself going forward.

Salvador Dali’s work represents a clash of two different sides: real and imagination. Not only seen in
The Persistence of Memory but in most of his artworks. On the left side of The Persistence of
Memory, does not only have the unusual clocks melting away, but very rigid lines and boxes that
provide a platform for the pocket watches. What bridges the right side to the left side of the painting is
the monster that slides gently over rocks in the centre of the painting. But what brings sentimentality
to this work is that Dali shows the cliffs in the distance are actually from a place in Catalonia, where
he grew up.
Images List

Image 1

Image 2
Reference List

3D Dali [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/08]. Available from: <http://www.3d-

dali.com/dali_paintings_analysis_interpretation.htm>

Art Beyond [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/08]. Available from:

<http://www.artbeyondsight.org/ahtts/dali>.

Dali Gallery [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/08]. Available from: <http://www.dali-gallery.com/>.

Ehow [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/07]. Available from:

<http://www.ehow.com/way_5406102_dali_s-.html>.

Empty Easel [online] (2012 [Accessed 06/02] Available from:

<http://emptyeasel.com/2007/03/14/salvador-dali-the-famous-surrealist-painter/>

MoMa [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/02]. Available from:

<http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?object_id=79018>.

Philip Colens [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/07]. Available from:

<http://www.philipcoppens.com/dali.html>.

Psychology Today [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/07]. Available from:

<http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/creative-thinkering/201107/salvador-dalis-creative-thinking-
technique>.

Simply Charly [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/02]. Available from: <http://simplycharly.wetpaint.com>

Tate Gallery [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/07]. Available from:

<http://www.tate.org.uk/about/projects/salvador-dalis-forgotten-horizon>.

Wikipedia [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/02]. Available from:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Dalí>

Wikipedia [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/07]. Available from: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointillism>.

Wikipedia [online]. (2012) [Accessed 05/08]. Available from:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Persistence_of_Memory>.

Bibliography

Dalí, Salvador. (2000) Dalí: 16 Art Stickers, Courier Dover Publications. ISBN 0-486-41074-9.

http://painting-analysis.blogspot.com/2011/02/salvador-dali-swans-reflecting.html

http://www.theartstory.org/artist-dali-salvador.htm

http://www.authenticsociety.com/about

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Persistence_of_Memory>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Dalí

www.ehow.com/way_5406102_dali_s.html

http://www.3d-dali.com/dali_paintings_analysis_interpretation.htm