Dali’s Moustache 1950 Masterpiece Moments – 5 th Grade Prairie Star Elementary, Leawood, KS created by Sonya Butler, 2012

Salvador Dali…  was an “over-the-top” Spanish painter regarded by many to be the greatest of the surrealist artists.  created, what he called, “hand-painted dream photographs” full of weird images that were painted in a “highly realistic technique. 1  also worked in sculpture, fashion, advertising, writing and filmmaking - collaborating with Alfred Hitchcock on a famous dream sequence for the 1945 film Spellbound.

Salvador Dali…Growing Up!  Born in May 11, 1904 & in Figueres, Spain – a city located close to the French border.  His father, Salvador Dali i Cusi was a lawyer & strict disciplinarian; his mother Felipa, encouraged his artistic endeavors.  When Dali was 12 (1916), he began attending drawing classes; and in 1919, at the age of 15, had his first public art exhibition at the Figueres Municipal Theater.  From , Dali studied at the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid, Spain and began experimenting with the art styles of impressionism, cubism and realism. (The Basket of Bread, 1926)art styles of impressionism, cubism and realism.The Basket of Bread  During this time, Dali established his life-long personal style of “eccentric, flamboyance” by wearing long hair, sideburns, coat, stockings and knee-breeches popular in the late 1890’s England!  In 1926, influenced by the Spanish 17 th century master painter - Diego Velazquez, Dali grew his iconic moustache that would become his trademark for the rest of his life!

Salvador Dali…A Surrealist!  In 1929, Dali officially joined and became an important member of the surrealist group of artists that were influenced by Dr. Freud, a famous psychiatrist, & the thought that “images are based on fantasy and the world of dreams.” 1  These artists created strange paintings that featured unrelated objects on mysterious backgrounds that took “everyday things” and distorted them to represent their dreams or unconscious.strange paintings that featured unrelated objects on mysterious backgrounds  Some works are so meticulously painted that they have been called “hand-painted dream photographs”; others used a style that incorporated abstract, unrealistic style but painted with attention to detail.  Surrealists believed that the images created in their paintings were actually more real than those seen in everyday life – that they had put unconscious thoughts with real life to produce a “super-reality” or…surreality !1  Surrealism was most popular in Europe from the mid-1920’s to mid-1940’s after the end of World War II with famous surrealist artists include: Spanish painter Joan Miro, Belgium painter Rene Magritte, German painter Max Ernst, French painter – Yves Tanguy & sculptor – Jean Arp.  Dali’s paintings were filled with bizarre images that show a familiar object: in a distorted state (ex. the melting watches in the famous painting Persistence of Memory) ; as two different things at the same time (ex. Swans Reflecting Elephants – 1937) ; as repeating images, and as symbols and visual metaphors. melting watches in the famous painting Persistence of MemorySwans Reflecting Elephants

Salvador Dali… Les Elephants 1948 Thin, long legs with huge bodies – emphasizes strength & weight of elephants.

Salvador Dali…what about the elephants?  Inspired by the 17 th century Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s sculpture, elephants became a recurring image in Dali’s work.  Elephants first appeared in the 1944 carrying the obelisk on it’s back – as seen in Bernini’s sculpture – and continued to appear through his life.  Dali’s elephants have long, multi-jointed, almost invisible legs – anther key element that he continued to use through his life.  The combination of carrying the ancient obelisk with their brittle legs created the symbolism of “a sense of phantom reality”.  "The elephant is a distortion in space, its spindly legs contrasting the idea of weightlessness with structure.”

Salvador Dali…elephants!

Salvador Dali…later years.  Dali had a keen interest in natural science and math, and incorporated many of these images in his later works.  Dali experimented with other styles of art including optical illusions, visual puns & pointillism (enlarged half-tone dot grids).  In 1968 he filmed and appeared in a funny television ad, featuring his big moustache, for Lanvin Chocolates.  Famous artists such as Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock recognized Dali as one of their influences.  Dali died January 23, 1989 at the age of 84 leaving a prolific legacy of art. "I am painting pictures which make me die for joy, I am creating with an absolute naturalness, without the slightest aesthetic concern, I am making things that inspire me with a profound emotion and I am trying to paint them honestly.” Salvador Dali, in Dawn Ades, Dali and Surrealism.

Salvador Dali… How does he inspire you?

Dali’s self portraits…& various painting styles! Cubist Self Portrait 1923 Cubism Self Portrait in the Studio 1919 Impressionism Self Portrait 1921 Realism

Basket of Bread A more traditional painting style that reflected his love of Renaissance painters. 1926

Surrealist Object Gauge of Instantaneous Memory 1932

“The Persistence of Memory” Dali’s watches are “melting” to show time isn’t rigid, but always changing; the big landscape & ants eating watch support this idea! 1936

Swans Reflecting Elephants Using illusionary imagery, the reflection of the swan’s in the water become the face, trunk & front of elephants. 1937

References - 1) Dali, Salvador ; December 5, ) Surrealism (1920’s–1940’s); December 5, ) ; December 5, 2012 a) Dali Universe Collection, County Hall Gallery. 4) ; December 5, ) December 5, ) December 5, ) December 5, ) December 5, 2012