Salvador Dali

Salvador Dalí was born in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain, in 1904 to a middle-class family. He showed artistic talent from an early age and attended the School of Fine Arts in Madrid, where he met other avant-garde artists such as Luis Buñuel and Federico García Lorca. He was influenced by Impressionism, Cubism, and Dadaism, but he soon became fascinated by Surrealism, a movement that sought to unlock the creative potential of the human unconscious. In 1929, he joined the Surrealist group in Paris and met his muse and future wife Gala, a Russian émigré married to poet Paul Éluard. He also collaborated with Buñuel on two surrealist films: Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog) (1929) and L'Age d'Or (The Golden Age) (1930). He became one of the most prominent figures of Surrealism with his paintings that depicted bizarre and irrational scenes with meticulous detail and realistic technique. His best-known work is The Persistence of Memory (1931), which shows melting clocks in a desolate landscape. Dalí's eccentric and ostentatious personality often drew more attention than his artwork. He cultivated a flamboyant image with his long mustache, cape, cane, and exotic pets. He also expressed controversial opinions on politics, religion, and sexuality, which alienated him from some of his fellow Surrealists. He was expelled from the group in 1934 for his support of fascism and his commercial activities. During World War II, he moved to the United States with Gala, where he achieved fame and fortune. He worked in various media, such as theater, fashion, advertising, and photography. He also wrote books on art history and criticism, such as The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí (1942) and The Tragic Myth of Millet's Angelus (1963). He returned to Spain in 1948 and announced his return to Catholicism. He developed a new style that he called nuclear mysticism, which combined elements of classicism, science, and religion. He spent his last years in his hometown of Figueres, where he created his own museum, the Dalí Theatre and Museum. He suffered from health problems and depression after Gala's death in 1982. He died of heart failure in 1989 at the age of 84. He was buried in a crypt under the museum. His legacy as one of the most influential and innovative artists of the 20th century is widely recognized by art lovers and critics alike.