On a quick trip down to London last month, I had the pleasure
of visiting the Dali Museum. I have always been an admirer of
the artist, as he experimented with such vast media and bizarre
expression. After viewing hundreds of sketches, illustrations,
and paintings, I've become more intrigued than ever before.
This man led a wildly interesting life full of fascination,
rebellion, and obsession that he expelled directly through his
artwork. What follows is a very brief biography of an artist
that we have all heard of and a life that we will never fully
comprehend.

The artist was born Salvador Felip Jacinct Dali Domenech on May
11, 1904 in Figueres, Spain. His father worked in law and
although a strict authoritarian, never objected to Dali's
artistic endeavors. Also encouraged by his mother, Dali was
granted his own fully supplied studio and consent to stay with
the family of impressionist, Ramon Pichot. Dali's work from
early to late illustrates palpable influence of Spanish
landscape seen through the wild imagination of an artistic
child. At thirteen, Dali attended the Municipal Drawing School
in Madrid under Moreno Carbonero. The same year, his parents
held an exhibition of his charcoal drawings at their home.
Salvador was already proving uncanny technical facility as a
painter and in 1919 at only fifteen years old, his first public
exhibition at his academy was a success.

In the early twenties, Dali enrolled in the Residencia de
Estudiantes in Madrid. It was also at this time that Dali
discovered Sigmund Freud’s writings on the erotic significance
of subconscious imagery and his affiliation with Paris
Surrealists. Dali began experimenting with hallucinogens to
induce a state he coined Paranoiac Critical. (This style can be
seen illustrated in The Great Masturbator, 1929) Upon discovery
of this phenomenon, Dali’s painting style matured at an
extraordinary pace and his distinction in the art world
transpired.

Donning a fashion style of a century earlier, and a manner
before his time, Dali was considered quite the eccentric among
his peers and instructors. He became very proud with his
philosophy and artwork and in 1926 he was expelled from the
Academy when he deemed his superiors incapable of examining
him. The same year he would meet Pablo Picasso whom he had
previously emulated, as there were no Cubists in Spain. At this
time, Dali had proven amazing capabilities ranging from academic
classicism (El Son “The Tartan”, 1919) to the most avant-garde
surrealism (Sleep, 1937) and Picasso praised him. In 1929, Dali
collaborated with friend Luis Bunuel on a short film where he
met his future wife and renowned muse, Gala (Galatea of the
Spheres, 1952). He officially joined the Surrealist group in
Montparnasse of Paris and he was hailed for his Paranoiac
Critical Method of employing the subconscious for developing
creativity.

Dali’s most outstanding work in the 1930’s came to demonstrate
what we all know now as Surrealism. Not so much a style, but a
place, where with profound detail, objects become morphed into
an exaggerated state backed by a semi-rational environment, as
to force them from the subconscious into reality. Completed in
1931 and perhaps his most well-known painting, The Persistence
of Memory, portrays this extraordinary realm. Throughout this
time, Dali’s notorious arrogance grew as he became more
publicly revered for his extreme antics and incontestable
talent. He degraded many other Surrealist artists of the time
for becoming too caught up in the Paranoiac side of his method
and claimed that where they were trying to become the method,
he was only accepting notions through it. The antagonizing of
his colleagues along with his unconventional political views
(some say he was fascinated with Hitler) got him expelled from
the Surrealist group.

“Surrealism? I am Surrealism!” retaliated Dali. There are not
many who would disagree.

The following years brought Dali the fame and notability that
he had always yearned for. His compositions reached the status
of Masterpieces. Not only did he continue to experiment with
various media, but various styles, and he seemed able to
perfect them all. In the 1940’s, he and Gala moved to America
where they were greeted with fascination and loyalty from
sponsors and critics alike. He opened his Teatre-Museu Gala
Salvador Dali in Figueres in the late fifties. Dali was
bestowed title of Marquis of Pubol by King Juan Carlos of
Spain. In 1989, Salvador Dali died of heart failure at the age
of 84 and was buried in the crypt of his Teatre-Museu.

Without contest, Salvador Dali remains one of the most
brilliant artists of all time. His drive to outlet creativity
was exceptional, and his capacity for range of technique was
unparalleled. But most captivating may be his ability to
exemplify that peculiar and vast world veiled inside every
person subconscious. Dali makes for an essential addition to
each of our personal collections. Works of Salvador Dali on
overstockart.com: El Son (The Tartan); 1919 Nude In The Water;
1927 The Great Masturbator; 1929 Sleep; 1937 Galatea Of The
Spheres; 1952 Landscape with Butterflies; 1956 Meditative Rose;
1958 Apparition of the Visage of Aphrodite; 1979


About The Author: Breiana Cecil of
http://www.overstockart.com
graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor Degree in
Interior Design and in Studio Art. Breiana is an avid
enthusiast of the art and design world and intends on
continuing her contribution to the industry. Talk to Breiana on
the http://blog.overstockart.com today!