Surreal sculptures by Salvador Dali, touch surrealism. Salvador Dali Surrealism in Original Wax Sculptures Reincarnated in Bronze Tribute to Newton

So, after that we went to Figueres, which is famous, first of all, for the Theater-Museum of the great Salvador Dali - masters of surrealism. Figueres is Dali's hometown, it is located 40 km from France and is considered the second most visited museum in Spain after the Prado in Madrid.

The title photo shows Gala-Salvador Dali square with the facade of the Theater-Museum and a monument to Dali's hand to the Catalan philosopher Francesc Pujols.

Below the cut are photographs of the museum and a lot of text for them. Don't be lazy, please read it, because... perhaps this will shed light on the characteristics of the creative genius of Dali and his masterpieces.

01. Actually, the monument is not only to Pujols himself (his gray bust is installed on the head of Homer), whom Dali revered as a philosopher who opened the world to the Subconscious. In the background, in the form of a figure with an egg head, Dali presumably depicted himself. To the right of the figure is a monument to the hydrogen atom - an element of Dali’s figurative system.

02. Dali installation - a giant head with a television in its forehead. The sculpture towering nearby is Wolf Vostel's "Obelisk of Television":

03. One of three monuments dedicated to the French painter Meyssonnier, mounted on car tires.

04. A diver in a spacesuit, symbolizing a dive into the subconscious, next to him are figures with a loaf of bread - another favorite symbol of Dali.

The diver perhaps recalls the viewer to one event in Dali’s biography. Once, by invitation, he gave lectures in this form at an American university. During the lecture, something happened to the oxygen supply, Dali began to choke, and only a miracle in the person of one student, who somehow figured out how to remove this spacesuit, saved Dali from death.

05. Courtyard. Statue installation by Dali "Rainy Taxi". The installation represents a Cadillac, inside of which it rains when you drop a coin. On the Cadillac stands a figure of Queen Esther by Austrian sculptor Ernst Fuchs, who is pulling a pillar made of car tires. The whole composition is crowned by the Gala Boat (named after Dali’s wife and muse - Gala, or Elena Dyakonova). The drops falling from the bottom of the boat are said to be condoms filled with blue paint.

06. Boat Gala, black umbrella. Behind is the geodesic dome of the museum.

07. The car is a frequent iconographic element in Dali's work, it combines fossil matter and something from recent human history. Dali claimed that only 6 of these machines were made. and attributed the ownership of one of them to Al Capone (the famous “godfather”), explaining the broken glass in the exhibit on display at the museum. allegedly as an act of vandalism. According to the artist, one of the cars belonged to Roosevelt, one to Clark Gable, etc. And this 4th copy of the car was given by Dali to his wife Gala. Inside the Cadillac, rain continuously drips from a complex network of pipes, much to the delight of the grape snails that keep company with a couple of mannequins and their driver.

08. The courtyard is also installed with statues made in the manner (or maybe deliberately) of Oscar statues, which greet their viewers. Here are grotesque monsters between the central windows of the courtyard.

09. These sculptural groups of fantastic creatures emerging from the darkness are composed of many different elements: snails, stones from Cape Creus, felled branches, fragments of gargoyles from the nearby Church of St. Peter, the whale skeleton, the stone horn, the drawers (also Dali’s favorite symbol in working with the subconscious) - this entire sculpture represents the masculine principle.

10. "Nude Gala looking out to sea, which at a distance of 18 meters transforms into a portrait of Abraham Lincoln." Here Dali acts as an innovator of the idea of ​​a double image.

11. Author's copy on fabric of the painting "The Hallucinogenic Bullfighter", here Dali again resorts to the idea of ​​a double image.

12. One of Dali’s many installations. A biblical theme is visible in the form of a crucified figure. Along the edges of the bust is Catalan bread of a bizarre shape, which is visible in many of Dali’s works, including in the exterior decoration of the theater-museum.

13. The stage of the municipal theater (and previously there was a theater here, which was then donated to Dali by the local authorities) is crowned by a striking transparent dome, which has become a symbol of the Theater-Museum and of Figueres as a whole. The architect of this “geodesic dome”, reminiscent of the structure of a fly’s eye (Dali’s favorite insect in his works as a symbol of paranoia), was Emilio Pineiro. The dome is unique in its design; it creates a play of mirror reflections and is a symbol of unity and monarchy, according to Dali.

14. “The Phantom of Sexual Attraction” (one of Dali’s first surrealist works). The artist often used this technique - a huge pompous frame and a small image in comparison with it. In the lower right part, Dali depicted himself as a child in a sailor suit, looking at a huge monster, soft and hard at the same time. For the artist, this image symbolized sexuality. The background is the hyper-realistic landscape of Cape Creus. The significant presence of crutches should also be noted; for Dali this is a symbol of death and resurrection.

15. Mae West Hall. In the center is a popular three-dimensional installation dedicated to this American actress. The eyes of the image are enlarged, retouched photographs of pointillist paintings with views of Paris; the nose is a fireplace with logs, the famous sofa-lips. Other elements include a fan with a clock, an antique clock, two jugs, a Venus de Milo and a giraffe neck and drawers.

16. In order for the entire composition to turn into a three-dimensional image of the actress’s face, you need to climb the steps to the camel and look into the lens suspended from the camel’s belly.

17. Also in this room: a bathroom on the ceiling, turned upside down:

18. On the left is a giant wig - Mae West's hair, it was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest wig ordered by Dali from a famous hairdresser.

19. And here is the actual image that viewers see through a lens suspended from a camel:

20. Dali was a multi-talented person and also tried his hand at designing display windows for various stores. This display case is called "Retrospective Female Bust". The artist supplemented this bust with ants, corn cobs, a ribbon from an antique zoetrope projection apparatus, a loaf of bread with a bronze inkstand (a hint of the profession of a lawyer, which his father was) and figures from the painting “Angelus” by Millet, so common in Dali’s figurative system. The role of the pedestal is played by a hand in a black glove, around which another hand made of white paraffin is wrapped. The display is completed with a shark jaw, a skeleton of a flying fish, a real spoon with an illusory plastic cup and an ambiguous rhinoceros horn.

21. In the second showcase, Dali creates an ensemble of images; against the background of the same pheasant feathers, a jacket from Coco Chanel and sculptures stand out - “Flower of Evil” in the form of a glass paste jug with feet inserted into it (one is paraffin, the other is an anatomical model) and mythological brothers Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux. sons of Zeus and Leda (here they are presented in the form of 2 figurines, the round tops of which are made from casts of the butts of babies). It should be noted that Dali himself always identified himself with Zeus, and Gala with Leda. As is known from Greek mythology, they were brother and sister. So Dali had similar feelings for Gala all his life and considered it blasphemous to violate them with carnal desire.

22. Dali claimed that the view of the stage or courtyard with the Rainy Taxi installation (as in this case) from the gallery windows was one of the main pleasures given to him by the Theater-Museum.

23. One of Dali’s graphic works. What attracted me to it was that Dali boldly balances between masculine and feminine, boldly weaving gender symbols into the canvas of the painting.

24. Hall "Palace of the Wind". This room was especially dear to Dali, because here for the first time, being 14 years old, he exhibited his works and received a lot of praise in the press. The first thing that catches your eye in this room is the delightful painting on the ceiling. Dali said that this picture is fraught with a paradox: the spectators looking up seem to see clouds, the sky and 2 figures rising into the air (Dali and Gala) - in fact, this is a purely theatrical effect, since instead of the sky we see the earth, and instead of land there is a sea, embodied in the bend of the Bay of Rosas. And, Dali adds, in the center, where the sun should have been, there is a hole, and in it there is deep night, and from the depths of the human subconscious a submarine emerges. The edges of the picture are elements of Dali's most significant works, his symbols and signs. (They are not visible here)

25. Entrance to Dali’s working studio. On the right is a bust of Velazquez, one of Dali's favorite artists, whom he always admired. In the middle is a graphic portrait of Gala. On the ceiling there is a panel "Palace of the Wind" with elements of Dali's figurative system (see previous photo).

26. Dali Studio. His workshop dedicated to the theme of the Eternally Feminine. In the center of the room is “Nude” by William Adolphe Bouguereau, known as a salon and academic artist. Above the sculpture, a distinctive modernist-style lamp attracts attention with the head of the blindfolded goddess Fortune rising above everything on a spiral of teaspoons suspended from the ceiling.

27. In the corner of the room on an easel there are 2 paintings - “Galatea of ​​the Spheres” and “Portrait of Gala with Symptoms of Birth”, dating back to the period of nuclear mysticism.

28. Fortune with spoons.

29. Bedroom. On the wall is a tapestry from the painting “The Persistence of Memory,” located in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In his autobiography, “The Secret Life of Salvador Dali,” the artist describes Gala’s reaction when she first saw this painting: “I closely watched Gala’s face and saw how her surprise turned into admiration. This convinced me that the new image makes an impression, because Gala always unmistakably identified the real mystery. I asked her:
- Do you think that in 3 years you will remember this picture?

Once you see it, you won't forget it."

30. Millet's painting "Angelus". Elements of this painting have already been seen on a bust in a designed display case called "Retrospective Female Bust". It was not for nothing that Dali introduced them into his work, but... he used them for a slightly different purpose. The fact is that the artist depicted a man and woman praying in his painting. While working in the field, they paused and performed the usual ritual of prayer for that time. A church can be seen in the background. But Dali would not have been Dali if he had not seen a secret meaning in this harmless picture. He conducted extensive research and came to the conclusion that a woman, standing in a certain position, stands in the same way as a female praying mantis, who, after mating with her male, kills him. So Dali decided that a woman and a man bowed down before sexual intercourse, after which the man’s fate was sealed.

31. Here are Dali's documentary research on his theory of the female praying mantis and the figure of a woman in Millet's painting.

32. “If it falls, it falls.” Still life in the Dutch style, bought by the artist in Paris and “Dalinized”. The artist made an allegory out of this still life as a sign of his gratitude to his friend, the Catalan philosopher Francesc Pujols. The changes made by Dali are clearly visible on the canvas, and the inscription on the table is Pujols’ phrase - “If it falls, it falls.” This phrase, which gave the name to the painting, ended an extensive and complex philosophical text that greatly interested Dali. According to some artists, here Dali prophetically wrote the date of his death (on the dial of the melted clock) - 01/23/1989.

33. Hall "Lodge", dedicated to optical tricks - stereoscopy, anamorphosis and holography.

34. And once again “Retrospective female bust” with figures from Millet’s “Angelus” and ants on the face. Dali considered such a female bust ideal and was horrified by the magnificent size of the bust. Eyewitnesses even claimed that Dali fainted at the sight of the huge bust.

35. The stage of the theater-museum with a huge panel “Labyrinth” based on the myth of Theseus and Ariadne. This work was the setting for a series of Diaghilev ballets, which were successfully staged in New York. Here Dali’s theatricality is most obvious: in the center the bust is a man-mountain (his head casts the same shadow as the mountain casts) with a through opening in the chest. Behind is the landscape of Cape Creus, invariably present in Dali’s paintings. The creator of this entire theater-museum is buried under this stage. We were not allowed into the small dark room adjacent to the women's toilet that day. Salvador Dali's coffin is placed in the wall. And on it is a small white tombstone with the inscription: "Salvador Dali Domenech Marques de Dali de Pubol 1904 - 1989".

During his lifetime, Dali was given the title of Marquis.

36.

37. "Portrait of Beethoven, painted with 2 octopuses and Dali's toe." Dali took 2 octopuses, dipped them in paint and simply threw them on the canvas, they crawled, wriggled and left their bizarre marks on the canvas. And then Dali simply completed the portrait.

38. Dali installation under a geodesic dome.

39. Once again the installation "Rainy Taxi" and a view of the stage behind.

40. Tower of Galatea, made by Dali especially for the Gala. On the facade is the same Catalan bread that I already mentioned. Eggs - refer to the ancient Greek epic that the children of Zeus and Leda were born from eggs. However, in Dali they can be interpreted both as the birth of a new life and as his inextricable, “identical” connection with Gala. His eternal muse, after whose death his life lost all meaning.

In the next post, Spanish Tarragona - a cozy town in Catalonia!

The magnificent capital of Andorra, Andorra la Vella, is a major tourist destination. The best historical monuments are collected here, including the sculpture of Salvador Dali, which is called “Noble Time” or “Nobility of Time”.

History and architecture

The main square of the kingdom of Andorra - the Rotunda of Andorra la Vella has a very valuable artistic decoration, the author of which is the world-famous sculptor Salvador Dali. In the very center of the capital square there is a sculpture depicted in the form of a tree. The peak part of the tree is decorated with a crown, which is a symbol of time over humanity. The five-meter sculpture displays a melting clock that is slowly sliding towards the root system. The base of the tree has strong roots, which symbolizes our strong foundation. But, despite the powerful base and the symbol of power located at the top, the middle is subject to time. There are two silhouettes on both sides of the sculpture. One of them is an angel, sadly bowing his head over lost time. This sculpture concerns each of us and is a kind of signal for us to rationally use our time that is allotted to us on earth. As for the monument itself, it is an exact copy of the work of the great master Salvador Dali. The Principality of Andorra received this gift from philanthropist Enric Sabatero, who was a close friend and confidant of Salvador Dali from 1968 to 1982. Andorran Minister Antoni Armenlog described this gift as the most outstanding architectural structure, which will attract additional attention of city guests. Analogues of this creation of the great master can be found in many famous European cities. For example, in London, Berlin, Vienna, Paris, Courchevel and so on. The sculpture of Salvador Dali has become a real pearl, which is located in an unexpected place, since uninformed tourists can come across it completely unexpectedly and take a souvenir photo against its background.

Architecture

The sculpture of Salvador Dali is made of bronze. This is one of many works that belong to the Passage of Time series. Salvador Dali decided to create an entire collection according to this theme, since the theme of time has been and will be relevant at all times. The monument is located on a low pedestal and is surrounded on four sides by a low fence made of chrome pipes. During the hot period of time, this sculpture takes on a new life, since the scorching sun overhead is the exact factor that melts absolutely everything in its path.

Neighborhood

In Andorra la Vella there are a lot of wonderful places that are worth visiting during your holiday: the Comic Museum, the National Automobile Museum, the Casa de la Vall, the Perfume Museum, the Church of St. Armenol, the Church of St. Andrew, the Church of St. Vincent d'Enclar, Lake Estany -del Estani. Many tourists choose Andorra to combine business with pleasure, as it is a duty-free trade zone. Here you can purchase quality products at affordable prices. The best place to do your shopping is on Meritsel Avenue. This is where all the best brand stores and shopping centers are concentrated.

Note to tourists

The sculpture of Salvador Dali is located outdoors, so guests of the capital of Andorra can visit this landmark at any time convenient for them.

One of the most prominent representatives of surrealism - Salvador Dali was not only an outstanding painter and graphic artist, but also a sculptor, creating his creations exclusively from wax. His surrealism was always cramped within the framework of the canvas, and he resorted to three-dimensional depiction of complex images, which later formed the basis of his paintings.

Collector Isidr Clot, who once bought his wax figures from the artist, ordered bronze castings. Soon the collection of original bronze sculptures created a sensation in the world of art. Many of Dali’s sculptures were subsequently increased many times in size and became decorations not only in museum halls, but also in the squares of many cities around the world.

Salvador Dali Museum in Paris

Dance of Time I.

https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/219414890.jpg" alt="Surrealistic piano by Salvador Dali. | Photo: dolzhenkov.ru." title="Surreal piano by Salvador Dali. | Photo: dolzhenkov.ru." border="0" vspace="5">!}

Exquisite objects and forms inspired the artist to create many unique surreal images. In this sculpture, the master replaced the wooden legs of a piano with dancing, graceful female legs. In this way, he revived the instrument and turned it into an object of pleasure for both music and dance. On the lid of the piano we see a surreal image of the Muse trying to soar above reality.

Space elephant.

Salvador Dali turned to the image of an elephant both in painting, as evidenced by the painting “The Temptation of St. Anthony”, and repeatedly in sculpture - “Cosmic Elephant”, “Rejoicing Elephant”. This bronze sculpture depicts an elephant walking on thin long legs through outer space, carrying an obelisk symbolizing technological progress. A powerful body on thin legs, according to the author’s idea, is nothing more than “the contrast between the inviolability of the Past and the fragility of the Present.”

Surreal Newton

In his work, the great Spaniard repeatedly turned to the personality of Newton, who discovered the law of universal gravitation, thereby paying tribute to the great physicist. In all the sculptures of Newton created by Dali, the apple is a constant detail, which led to the great discovery. Two large through niches in the sculpture symbolize oblivion, since in the perception of many people Newton is only a great name that is devoid of soul and heart.

Bird Man

a person is half-bird, or a bird is half-man." It is difficult to determine which part of these two dominates, because a person is not always who he appears to be. The author wants to leave us in doubt - this is his game.

Vision of an angel

https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/000dali-0015.jpg" alt=" Woman on Fire. Author: Salvador Dali. Photo: dolzhenkov.ru." title="Woman on fire.

The obsession of two ideas: the flame of passion and the female body with secret drawers in which the secrets of every woman are kept, Salvador Dali clearly manifested himself in surreal sculpture"Женщина в огне". Под пламенем художник подразумевал подсознательное страстное желание и пороки всех женщин - нынешних, прошлых и будущих, а выдвижные ящички символизируют сознательную секретную жизнь каждой из них.!}

Snail and angel

Surreal warrior.

Surreal warrior.
Dali's surreal warrior symbolizes all victories: real and metaphysical, spiritual and physical.

Tribute to Terpsichore

https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/000dali-0009.jpg" alt=" Cosmic Venus. Author: Salvador Dali. | Photo: dolzhenkov.ru." title="Cosmic Venus.

This sculpture is also called “beauty without head and limbs.” In this work, the artist glorifies a woman whose beauty is temporary, fleeting and perishable. Venus's body is divided into two parts by an egg, which creates a fantastic impression of weightlessness in the sculpture. The egg itself is a symbol of the fact that inside a woman there is a whole unknown world.

Horse under the saddle of time

The image is filled with expression, eternal non-stop movement, original freedom and insubordination to man.".!}

Space Rhino

https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/000dali-0013.jpg" alt=" Saint George and the Dragon. Author: Salvador Dali. | Photo: dolzhenkov.ru." title="Saint George and the Dragon.

https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/219416024.jpg" alt="Surrealism of Salvador Dali. | Photo: dolzhenkov.ru." title="Surrealism of Salvador Dali. | Photo: dolzhenkov.ru." border="0" vspace="5">!}

Spain. Night Marbella. Sculptures of Salvador Dali

Ten bronze sculptures, based on wax models of Salvador Dali sculptures, are located right in the open air on the Marbella promenade in Spain.

Surrealism has always had a hard time with the two dimensions of painting. Dali is undoubtedly a painter. But from time to time, he also needed to create three-dimensional models of his complex images in order to better understand his own idea and the method of its implementation on canvas.

The master worked exclusively with wax, since he never considered his sculptures as independent works. The world learned about Dali the sculptor only thanks to the collector Isidr Klot, who bought his wax models from the master and ordered bronze castings based on them. The sculptures presented to the public created a sensation in the art world. Many sculptures were subsequently enlarged many times over and decorated not only museum collections, but also the squares of many cities.

In terms of their content, absolutely all of Dali’s sculptures are the plastic embodiment of images that are well known from his paintings. Thanks to the volume, many images acquired additional expressiveness and aesthetic resonance.

Adam and Eve

Time profile

Saint George and the Dragon

Cosmic Venus

Perseus

Today there are more than three hundred sculptures in Europe. Most of them are third and fourth copies, cast in the original molds of the collector Klot. The original sculptures are kept in his private collection.

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 comprehension and rethinking of his own paintings - and almost all of Dali’s sculptures are repetitions and development 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 according to 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 Spanish Civil War.

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 1977 gouache original.

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 inhabitants of this fantasy world, she returns to reality not only unharmed, but also unchanged. In Dali's sculpture, Alice's jump rope was transformed into a braided cord, symbolizing everyday 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, the beautiful 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 the 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 Saint Anthony, 1946. Royal Museum of 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 the classic form of a marble statue of a 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 a 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 love creates a whole that is always greater than the sum of its individual 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 to new life, and the roots have 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 has no internal force or 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, the thumb from which life emerges (tree branches) symbolizes the power and dominance of God. On the right side of the deity is humanity: a man in the prime of his life. On the left side is 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 depicted 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 and have obelisks on their backs as signs of power and dominance. A heavy load, supported by thin, fragile legs, seems to gain weightlessness.

Snails
The snail is associated with a 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 precise in scientific definition, 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. A sea urchin shell, cleared of spines, 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 urges 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