The magnificent capital of Andorra - Andorra la Vella is the main 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 square, the capital is a sculpture, which is 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 depicts a melting clock that slowly slides down to the root system. The base of the tree has powerful 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. On both sides of the sculpture are two silhouettes. One of them is an angel, sadly bowing his head over the lost time. This sculpture concerns each of us and is a kind of signal for us to rationally use our time, which 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 the 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 the guests of the city. 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 gem, which is located in an unexpected place, as uninformed tourists can get on it completely unexpectedly and take a photo for memory against its background.
Architecture
The sculpture of Salvador Dali is made of bronze. This is one of the many works that belong to the "Pass of Time" series. Salvador Dali decided to create a whole 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-plated pipes. During a hot period of time, this sculpture takes on new life, as the scorching sun overhead is the exact factor that melts absolutely everything in its path.
Neighborhood
Andorra la Vella has a lot of wonderful places to visit during your vacation: the Museum of Comics, the National Automobile Museum, the Casa de la Vall, the Perfume Museum, the Church of St. Armenol, the Church of St. del Estany. Many tourists choose Andorra to combine business with pleasure, as it is a duty-free zone. Here you can buy quality products at affordable prices. It is best to spend your shopping on Meritsel Avenue. It is here that all the best branded stores and shopping centers are concentrated.
Note to the tourist
The sculpture of Salvador Dali is located in the open air, so guests of the capital of Andorra can visit this place of interest at any time convenient for them.
The fact is that Dali himself did not cast sculptures at all: there is evidence that in 1969 - 1972 he embodied surrealistic images in ... wax. In his home in Port Ligat (as Dali's biographer Robert Descharnes wrote), the artist sometimes went to the pool and devoted several hours to modeling. Well, and then the old, like the world, story begins about the thirst for money and Dali's unscrupulousness in means: at first, in 1973, Dali entered into an agreement with the Spanish collector Isidro Clot, who bought wax figures and made four series of bronze castings. Actually, these are the most “genuine Dali sculptures”. The collector kept the first series for himself, the rest went to travel the world, along the way ... multiplying. Already at an advanced age, Dali sold the rights to reproduce sculptures, they were cast many times, sometimes in an increased size, and that is why sometimes a “Dali sculpture” appears on the market at a relatively affordable price. Auctions Sotheby's and Christie's for two whole years generally refused to accept the "Dali sculpture" for sale. Needless to say about the exhibitions of Dali's sculptures - the images, of course, are genuine, but all these are copies of copies. That is what miscalculated in 2013 the robbers, who, perhaps, thought to gain millions for the work stolen from the Paris exhibition - the famous "spreading clock"!
More or less originals can be considered, for example, such objects as the "Venus de Milo with boxes" (1936), from which the artist Marcel Duchamp, at the request of Dali, made a casting. Plaster Venus is real. But her twin sisters of the same form - again, "went into circulation."
The "Retrospective bust of a woman" created by Salvador Dali in 1933 for the Surrealist exhibition at the Pierre Colle Gallery (Paris) is also original. On the porcelain bust of a woman is placed a loaf of bread (a hat - sur!) And a bronze inkwell - the image of the painting "Angelus" by Jean-Francois Millet. Plus ants on the face, a paper "scarf", corn cobs on the shoulders. Just a parody of fashion! The original was ruined by... Picasso's dog. The exhibition was visited by an artist with a pet, and the dog ate a loaf! The whole idea, literally, down the drain ... Now the "reconstruction" of the work, but with a "fake" long loaf, is located in the Theater-Museum of Salvador Dali in Figueres.
So, after we went to Figueres, which is famous, first of all, for the Theater-Museum of the great Salvador Dali - masters of surrealism. Figueros is Dali's hometown, it is located 40 km from France and is considered the second most visited museum in Spain after the Madrid Prado.
In the title photo - Gala-Salvador Dali Square with the facade of the Theater-Museum and a monument to Dali's hand to the Catalan philosopher Francesc Pujols.
Under the cut are photos of the museum and a lot of text to them. Do not be lazy, please read, because. perhaps this will shed light on the features 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, portrayed 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 the forehead. The sculpture towering nearby is Wolf Vostel's "Obelisk of Television": 
03. One of the three monuments dedicated to the French painter Meissonier, mounted on car tires. 
04. A diver in a space suit, symbolizing immersion in 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. Somehow, by invitation, he lectured in this form at an American university. During the lecture, something happened to the oxygen supply, Dali began to suffocate, and only a miracle in the person of one student, who somehow guessed to take off this spacesuit, saved Dali from death.
05. Courtyard. Statue-installation Dali "Rainy Taxi". The installation is a Cadillac inside of which it rains when a coin is dropped. On the Cadillac is a figure of Queen Esther by the Austrian sculptor Ernst Fuchs, who is pulling a pole 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 believed to be condoms filled with blue paint. 
06. Gala boat, 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 possession of one of them to Al Capone (the famous "godfather"), explaining the broken glass in the exhibit exhibited in the museum. ostensibly as an act of vandalism. According to the artist, one of the cars belonged to Roosevelt, one to Clark Gable, and so on. And this 4th copy car was presented by Dali to his wife Gala. Inside the Cadillac, an intricate web of pipes drips continuously, much to the delight of the vine snails, who keep a couple of dummies and their driver company. 
08. The courtyard is also installed with statues made in the manner (or maybe deliberately) under the Oscar statues that greet their viewers. Here are grotesque monsters between the central windows of the courtyard. 
09. These sculptural groups of fantastic creatures emerging from darkness are composed of many different elements: snails, stones from Cape Creus, cut branches, fragments of gargoyles from the nearby church of St. Peter, a whale carcass, a stone horn, drawers (also Dali's favorite symbol in working with the subconscious) - all this sculpture represents the masculine principle. 
10. "Nude Gala, looking at the 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. The author's copy on the fabric of the painting "Hallucinogenic torero", here Dali again resorts to the idea of a double image. 
12. One of Dali's many installations. The 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 earlier 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 all 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 Pinheiro. The dome is unique in its design, it creates a game of mirror reflections and is a symbol of unity and monarchy according to Dali. 
14. "The Phantom of Sexual Attractiveness" (one of Dali's first surrealistic works). The artist often used such a 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. This image for the artist symbolized sexuality. The background is a hyperrealistic 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 3D 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 are a clock fan, antique clocks, two jugs, Venus de Milo and a giraffe neck and drawers. 
16. In order for the whole 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 stomach. 
17. Also in this room: a bathroom on the ceiling, turned upside down: 
18. On the left - a giant wig - Mae West's hair, he entered 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 window dressing for various shops. This showcase is called "Retrospective Female Bust". The artist supplemented this bust with ants, corn cobs, a ribbon from an old zootropic projector, a loaf of bread with a bronze ink device (a hint of the profession of a lawyer, which was his father) and figures from the painting "Angelus" by Millet, so frequent in Dali's figurative system. The role of the pedestal is played by a hand in a black glove and around which another hand of white paraffin is wrapped. The display case is completed by a shark's jaw, a flying fish skeleton, a real spoon with an illusory plastic cup, and a multi-valued 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 a sculpture stand out - "The Flower of Evil" in the form of a jug of glass paste with feet inserted into it (one is paraffin, the other is an anatomical model) and mythological brothers Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux. the sons of Zeus and Leda (here they are presented in the form of 2 statuettes, the round tops of which are made from casts of babies' bottoms). 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 blasphemy to violate them with carnal desire. 
22. Dali claimed that the view of the stage or the courtyard with the installation "Rainy Taxi" (as in this case) from the window of the galleries was one of the main pleasures delivered to him by the Theater Museum. 
23. One of Dali's graphic works. I was attracted by the fact that Dali boldly balances between male and female, I boldly weave symbols of gender into the canvas of the picture. 
24. Hall "Palace of the Wind". This room was especially dear to Dali, because here, being 14 years old, he exhibited his works for the first time and received many commendable reviews in the press. First of all, in this room, the delightful painting on the ceiling catches the eye. Dali said that this picture is fraught with a paradox: it seems to viewers looking up that they 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 - the sea, embodied in the bend of the Gulf of Roses. And, adds Dali, in the center, in the place of the sun, there is a gaping hole, and in it is deep night, and a submarine emerges from the depths of the human subconscious. The edges of the picture are the elements of Dali's most significant works, his symbols and signs. (Here they are not visible) 
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 the Dali figurative system (see the previous photo). 
26. Studio Dali. His workshop dedicated to the theme of the Eternally Feminine. In the center of the room - "Nude" by William Adolphe Bouguereau, known as a salon and academic artist. Above the sculpture, attention is drawn to a peculiar lamp in a modernist style with the head of the goddess Fortune blindfolded, towering 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 onomania", related 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 Gal’s reaction when he first saw this canvas: “I closely followed Gal’s face and saw her surprise turn into admiration. unmistakably identified the real riddle, 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. Painting by Millet "Angelus". Elements of this painting have already been seen on a bust in a decorated showcase called "Retrospective Bust of a Woman". It was not in vain that Dali introduced them into his work, but ... he used them for a slightly different purpose. The fact is that the artist depicted a praying man and woman in his painting. While working in the field, they interrupted and perform the customary ritual of prayer for that time. A church is visible in the background. But Dali would not have been Dali if he had not seen a secret meaning in this harmless picture. He conducted whole studies and came to the conclusion that a woman, standing in a certain position, as a female praying mantis is standing, which, after mating with her male, kills him. So Dali decided that a woman and a man bowed before a sexual intercourse, after which the fate of a man was sealed. 
31. Here are Dali's documentary studies on his theory of the female praying mantis and the figure of the woman in the painting by Millais. 
32. "If it falls, so it falls." Still life in the Dutch style, bought by the artist in Paris and "dalized". The artist made an allegory out of this still life as a token of his gratitude to his friend, the Catalan philosopher Francesc Pujols. On the canvas, the changes made by Dali are clearly visible, and the inscription on the table is the phrase of Pujols - "If it falls, so it falls." This phrase, which gave the name of the picture, ended an extensive and complex philosophical text, which Dali was extremely interested in. According to some artists, here Dali prophetically wrote the date of his death (on the dial of a flowing watch) - 01/23/1989. 
33. Hall "Lodge", dedicated to optical tricks - stereoscopy, anamorphosis and holography. 
34. And again "Retrospective female bust" with figurines from Millet's "Angelus" and ants on the face. Dali considered such a female bust to be ideal and was horrified by the magnificent size of the bust. Eyewitnesses even claimed that Dali fainted at the sight of a huge bust. 
35. Stage of the theater-museum with a huge panel "Labyrinth" based on the myth of Theseus and Ariadne. This work was the backdrop for a series of Diaghilev's ballets, successfully held in New York. Here the theatricality of Dali is most obvious: in the center of the bust is a man-mountain (his head casts the same shadow that the mountain casts) with a through opening in the chest. Behind - the landscape of Cape Creus, invariably present in Dali's paintings. Under this stage, the creator of this entire theater-museum is buried. We were not allowed into a small dark room adjacent to the women's toilet that day. The coffin of Salvador Dali 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".
Even during his lifetime, Dali was awarded 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 just finished painting the portrait. 
38. Dali installation under a geodesic dome. 
39. Once again the installation "Rainy Taxi" and a view of the stage behind. 
40. Galatea Tower, made by Dali especially for Gala. On the facade is the same Catalan bread that I have 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. 
I hope you didn't get bored with Dali;)
From myself I can say that Dali, although not my favorite artist, is a genius and an amazingly able-bodied person. To live life like this, as if every day you are playing a surrealistic play, understandable only to you, it is not so easy.
In the next post, Spanish Tarragona is a cozy town in Catalonia!
Surrealism has always had a hard time in 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 way it was embodied on canvas.
The master worked exclusively with wax, since he himself never considered his sculptures as independent works. The world learned about Dali the sculptor only thanks to the collector Isidre Klot, who bought his wax models from the master and ordered bronze castings from them. The sculptures presented to the public created a sensation in the art world. Many sculptures were subsequently enlarged many times and adorned not only museum collections, but also the squares of many cities.
In terms of content, absolutely all of Dali's sculptures are a plastic embodiment of images that are well known from his paintings. Due to the volume, many images have acquired additional expressiveness and aesthetic sound.
Adam and Eve
The work is a composition of the figures of the Ancestors, as well as the Serpent, curved in the form of a heart. In this figured loop, Eve gives an apple to Adam. The author interprets the biblical story as the knowledge of the joys of carnal love through a criminal sin, attractive and desirable.
The figures of people look somewhat generalized, they are devoid of individual features, which is undoubtedly done consciously. The serpent, on the contrary, is made carefully and precisely. The center of the composition is clearly marked with an apple from the tree of Knowledge. Bronze made it possible to designate accents, highlighting them with color. The serpent is done in golden colors, and the apple - a perfect sphere - is mirror polished and looks almost mother-of-pearl.
Time Profile
One of the artist's favorite images is a plastic, flowing clock. Dali has several similar sculptures. The time profile is the most famous of all. The phenomenon of time is especially important for surrealist artists who perceive time as an indispensable attribute of all their subjects, mysterious, complex and obscure. The transience, illusory nature and elusiveness of time are the subject of the author's close attention.
Saint George and the Dragon
The classic plot in the interpretation of the author looks a little different than we are used to seeing it. The iconic symbol of the Saint on horseback slaying the Dragon is complemented by a small figure of a woman, standing somewhat at a distance, who raised her hand, welcoming the feat of George. The author thus reminds of those for whom the feat was accomplished, of the lady in whose name the knights perform all their feats, of love and protection of the weak. The artist pushes the boundaries of the classical plot, makes the viewer reconsider their attitude to the classics.
Space Venus
The world-famous forms of ancient Venus in Dali's work are somewhat changed, modernized, eroticized. The sculpture is complemented by details that embody the idea of the author. The first detail is the "current clock", designed to remind the viewer of the variability of people's tastes and aesthetic ideas. The second detail - a golden egg - a symbol of the great destiny of a woman - to give life. The symbols of the eternal and the passing are united in the work. The author ironically over the variability of human tastes, contrasting them with the eternal and constant wisdom of nature.
Perseus
In this case, the author turns to mythology, moreover, he uses the famous statue of Cellini as a model. In the sculpture of the great surrealist, Perseus is depicted schematically, the details are not worked out. The face is completely missing. The head of the Gorgon is also very schematic. In its content, the work is an interpretation of the content of the myth. The hero killed the Gorgon, destroying with a glance, only because he himself managed to get rid of the face, the most vulnerable place.
Today in Europe there are more than three hundred sculptures. Most of them are the third and fourth copies, cast in the original molds of the collector Klot. The original sculptures are kept in his private collection.
Original taken from nikolai_endegor in Dali the sculptor
Dali the sculptor differs in many ways from Dali the artist: he is stricter, more concise and, 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 voluminous 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 stormy imagination of the artist, which had previously splashed uncontrollably onto the plane of the canvas. Perhaps the result of reflection 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 the 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 sculptures commissioned and assembled 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 work. Previously, these sculptures were shown in Paris, Shanghai, Florence, New York, Los Angeles. They were cast in bronze during the life of the artist 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 merged, 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 well-organized exhibition in St. Petersburg made a much greater impression on me than those in Paris. Yes, and I have not seen many of the sculptures presented in St. Petersburg in Paris - in Montmartre they are smaller in size, and as if not worked out in such detail.
Snail and Angel, 1980. Based on a 1977 drawing
This sculpture has a special place in Dali's universe, as it refers to the artist's meeting with Sigmund Freud, whom Dali considered his spiritual father. The snail perched on the seat of a bicycle that stood not far from Freud's house struck Dali's imagination. And the snail, the generally accepted symbol of idle pastime, has received wings here and easily moves along the waves. The winged messenger of the gods, for a short moment sat on the back of the snail, endowing it with the gift of movement.
Woman on fire, 1980.
This sculpture combines two constant Dali motifs: fire and a female figure with drawers. The flame seems to take on a life of its own, representing the latent tension of unconscious desire. At the same time, drawers refer to the secret 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 a secret.
"Woman on Fire" refers to one of the artist's early programmatic works, Flaming Giraffe, which was created during the Spanish Civil War.
Flaming giraffe, 1937
In the foreground there is a figure of a woman with her arms outstretched. Both the woman's hands and face are covered in blood. The head, devoid of eyes, is filled with despair and helplessness before the impending catastrophe. Behind the two female figures are crutches-props - a motif that repeatedly appeared later in Dali's works, symbolizing the weaknesses of man.
A jubilant angel, 1984. Based on a 1976 drawing.
Weightless angels, able to overcome the gravity of the Earth, become a lyrical expression of the dream world and Dali's fantasy. The artist once said: "Nothing inspires me like the idea of an angel!". Since the late 40s, when the artist began to weave religious themes into his work, angels often appear in his work. This sculpture depicts an angel with spread wings and thrown back head, playing divine music on a trumpet and conveying a triumphant message to all who hear it.
Tribute to fashion, 1984. Based on gouache original 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 the pose of a supermodel, is decorated with roses - the most exquisite flowers. Her face is featureless, allowing the fan to imagine the face they wish. On one knee in front of her stood a gentleman, "dandy", paying tribute to this muse of the XX century.
Worshiping Fashion, 1971
Alice in Wonderland, 1984. Based on a 1977 gouache original.
Alice is one of Dali's favorite characters. She is an eternal child, responding to the confusion of the world behind the Looking-Glass with the unshakable naivety of childhood. After meeting with the inhabitants of this fantasy world, she returns to reality not only unharmed, but unchanged. In Dali's sculpture, Alice's jump rope has been transformed into a braided cord, symbolizing everyday life. Her hands and hair bloomed with roses, personifying female 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, opposing a soft and sensual figure to a hard and frozen one. The absence of facial features emphasizes the symbolic sound of the composition. The dancer with flowing classical forms represents Grace and the unconscious, while the angular, cubist second figure speaks of the ever-growing and chaotic rhythm of modern life.
Lady Godiva and 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 the arrival of Lady Godiva not only hover around her and her noble horse, but also decorate her body while she plays the trumpet. Lady Godiva embodies earthly beauty, while butterflies represent the disembodied other world.
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 urged her husband to reduce them. Once at a feast, while drunk, Leofric promised to lower 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 selflessness, kept his word.
Drawing - sculpture prototype
Lady Godiva and butterflies, detail
Space Elephant, 1980
From the story of Benjamin Levy, President of the Dali Universe: “My favorite sculpture is the Space Elephant. It just caused real battles with Dali. He wanted to make the elephant legs with three fingers, like birds. It seemed to me that this was not very the public will like it, that such a solution will not be successful from a commercial point of view. I suggested to Dali to put an elephant on the legs of a horse. But he did not want to! Fortunately, Dali's wife, Gala, intervened. She said: "Do it the way Monsieur Levy wants." And Dali changed jobs. Gala loved money very much. And Dali, to be honest, didn’t care - he didn’t know the value of money, he always had empty pockets. For him, money meant nothing, but Gala was different - she loved money. "
The sculpture "Space Elephant" embodies an important symbol for Dali, born in 1946, when the artist worked on the famous painting "The Temptation of St. Anthony". The image of an elephant carrying an obelisk across 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 wander on spidery legs, signifying desire, and offer gifts of art, beauty, power, pleasure, and knowledge.
Temptation of Saint Anthony, 1946. Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels.
Cosmic Venus, 1984. Based on gouache original, 1977
Venus is the goddess of beauty. Dali, paying tribute to the female figure, endows her with her own special elements. The sculpture is based on the classical form of a marble statue of a female torso, to which four elements are added: a soft watch, an egg, two ants and a division of the body into two parts. Wrapped around the neck, the watch communicates two opposing ideas. On the one hand, the beauty of the flesh is temporary and will surely disappear. On the other hand, the beauty of art is eternal and timeless.
Space Venus, detail
Ants serve as a reminder of human mortality and impermanence. Between the two parts of "Cosmic Venus" we see the egg, which, like the ant, was Dali's favorite subject. 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 portray 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 has become a conventional image or emblem of a noble knight. In addition, some legends represent the unicorn as a symbol of masculinity. Dali decided to portray 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 1968 gouache original.
In this perfect piece, 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 couple of snakes, he tries to console the doomed and coils up into the shape of a heart. By doing so, 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 the gouache original, 1977.
Dali's soft clock falls on a dead tree, whose branches have already given birth to new life, and whose roots have entwined the stone. The tree trunk also serves as a support for the watch. The term "watch crown" in English usually refers to a mechanical device that allows you to set the hands and wind the watch. However, the time in the Dali Universe cannot be set, and the clock itself does not have internal power and 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 comprehends the classical religious image through the prism of surrealistic perception. In this sculpture, the thumb from which life springs (tree branches) symbolizes the power and dominion of God. On the right side of the deity is humanity: a man in the prime of life. On the left side - an angel, symbolizing the spirit of contemplation; his wings rest on a crutch. Although man is united with God, divine knowledge transcends his own.
Drawing - the prototype of the sculpture
Saint George and the Dragon, 1984. Based on a 1977 gouache original.
The largest sculpture of the exhibition is "Saint 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 portrayed himself, and the woman greeting the hero symbolizes the muse of surrealism.
Symbols of the Universe by Salvador Dali
Dali constantly uses some symbols to enhance the sound of his work. The contrast of the hard shell and soft interior is one of the central ideas of his universe. It is consistent with the psychological notion that people place a (hard) defense around their (soft) vulnerable psyche.
Angels
They have the ability to penetrate the heavens, communicate with God and find a mystical union with the artist. The figures of angels painted by Dali often borrow the features of Gal, who embodies purity and nobility for Dali.
Supports (crutches)
This is a symbol of support for weak figures unable to hold 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, obelisks on their backs as signs of power and dominance. A heavy load, supported by thin, fragile legs, seems to acquire 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 watched this process with enthusiasm 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 a liquid." The softness of Dali's watch also refers to the feeling that the speed of time, precise in the scientific definition, can vary greatly in the subjective perception of a person.
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
His "exoskeleton", bristling with spikes, can be very dangerous and painful on contact. But this shell has a soft body - and it was one of Dali's favorite dishes. The shell of a sea urchin, cleaned of thorns, appears in many of the artist's paintings.
Bread
Dali has always been a big fan of bread. He began depicting bread in his paintings out of fear of losing it. He also included bread in his Surrealist compositions. At the same time, 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 work. They help to create an atmosphere of unreality in his paintings, but at the same time they are reminiscent of his native Catalonia and the vast plain that surrounds Figueres, where Dali lived.
Drawer
Human bodies with drawers are repeatedly found in Dali's paintings and sculptures. They symbolize memory and the unconscious and refer to the Freudian 'box of ideas', expressing hidden urges and hidden secrets that can nevertheless be discovered.
Venus de Milo
It has long been part of the personal mythology of the artist. She was the first female figure that Dali, while still a boy, molded from a reproduction that adorned 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