1. “The Persistence of Memory”, 1931
Salvador Dalí
oil on canvas

2. C O L O U R S H A P E S P A C E F O R M V A L U E L I N E
Sky & figure in centre stand out
Tones of yellow & brown
Earthy colours
S H A P E
Molten figures
Organic shapes
Irregular
S P A C E
Big space between foreground & background
Lower right corner is very empty
F O R M
3-dimensional
Shadows create 3D impression
Perspective (sense of depth)
V A L U E
Darker corner – contrast with rest of image
L I N E
Curved, round lines
Very soft

3. E M P H A S I S B A L A N C E C O N T R A S T
On the lower left corner (due to light)
On the white figure in the centre (due to contrast in colour)
B A L A N C E
Between empty and filled space
Not too crammed but not empty either
However, images are more concentrated on the lower left corner
C O N T R A S T
Of the light in the lower left corner and the darkness in the lower right
M O V E M E N T
The viewer first focuses on the lower left corner and then moves on towards the rest of the image

4. Salvador Dalí -1931 – “Persistence of Memory” T I M E L I N E :
-May 11, 1904 – born
-1911 – taken to his brother’s grave
-1923 – suspended from academy for
criticizing teachers & starting riots
– went to Paris & met Picasso
-1929 – Dalí’s first Surrealist period
-1931 – “Persistence of Memory”
-1934 – married to Gala
-1974 – fight with manager  loss of wealth
1980 – retired from painting  motor disorder
-1982 – Gala died
-1984 – Burned in fire / confined to wheelchair
-January 23, 1989 – dies of heart failure at 84
1904 – 1989 Catalonia
Painted from early age
Art school –very bad student
Expelled from academy
Believed he was the reincarnation of his brother
Dadaist philosophy
Supported Freud’s theories
self-indulged hallucinations
Painted his dreams

5. CONTEXT Catalan landscape Dalí was well into his Surrealist phase –
Exploring the subconscious
Irrational juxtapositions
(blend reality with surrealism)
Melted clocks
based on image of
camembert cheese –
cheese had melted
He felt that time did the same thing as the cheese did – it was melting (passing slowly)
Freud’s psychoanalytical theories – exploring the subconscious

6. THEME Time – malleability of time -surrealism of time
Where does surrealism end and reality start? (melting clocks vs. Catalan landscape)
Dreams vs. reality
The subconscious mind
“Decay of time” (ants coming out of the closed pocket watch)

7. “El Vendedor de Alcatraces”, 1941
Diego Rivera

8. S P A C E C O L O U R L I N E V A L U E S H A P E F O R M
On top, very light colours (yellow & white)
In the bottom, dark colours (black, red, brown)
Dark background
Floor is lighter under her
L I N E
Soft, round lines
V A L U E
Flowers contrast with the person
Central image contrasts with the black background
S H A P E
Irregular
Organic
S P A C E
Little empty space
At the edges of the image
Painting filled with central image
F O R M
More 2-dimensional
Depth in the background (shadow)

9. E M P H A S I S C O N T R A S T P R O P O R T I O N V A L U E
The size of the flowers is too big in comparison to the worker
− The worker carries an enormous burden
E M P H A S I S
On the flowers
C O N T R A S T
Between woman and flowers!
P R O P O R T I O N
The proportion of the flowers, in relation to the worker, is very large
V A L U E
Bright colour of flowers call attention
Due to dark colours, woman isn’t as noticed – merges with background
As if the flowers were more important than the woman
M O V E M E N T
Viewer first looks at the flowers
Then slowly begins to notice and look at the woman
The person’s head is down and she is on her knees, as if she can’t bear the load

10. Rivera supported socialism & revolutionary politics  therefore large emphasis on the suffering of the working class
Rivera wanted to pass an idea in a way that could be easily accessed by the population  painting
Used mostly natural colours
- reminding population of indigenous murals
- goes back to population’s origin
Woman is carrying a very heavy load =
Heavy burden upon working class
Mexican working class under very poor conditions
Criticism towards capitalist society
Rivera painted several versions of the same painting
C O N T E X T

11. T H E M E A criticism of capitalism oppression
Exaltation of national culture
Conditions of the Mexican lower class
injustice
Sufferring of the working class
T H E M E

12. Bibliography
Dalí, Salvador. The Persistence of Memory MoMA, New York. MoMA. MoMa. Web. 27 Feb <
Dalí, Salvador. The Persistence of Memory MoMA, New York. MoMA Learning. MoMA. Web. 3 Mar <
"Salvador Dalí Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 4 Mar <
"Diego Rivera: "El Vendedor De Alcatraces" (1941)." Famous Mexican Artists. N.p., 14 June Web. 26 Feb <
"Diego Rivera Biography." Diego Rivera - The Complete Works. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar <