Dalí

The painter, sculptor, author, filmmaker, and all-around entertainer Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) was one of the greatest exhibitionists and eccentrics of the 20th century. He was one of the first to apply the insights of Freudian psychoanalysis to art and is celebrated primarily for his surrealist works. Iconic images such as the melting clocks and the lobster telephone have become symbols of surrealism and modernity itself.

Dalí often referred to his paintings as "hand-painted dream photographs." Their fascination and inherent tension stem from the precise depiction of bizarre elements and incongruous arrangements. Dalí painted, as he himself said, with the "imperialist frenzy of precision," but only "to systematize confusion and thereby completely discredit the world of reality."

The mustachioed Dalí revolutionized the role of the artist by polarizing public opinion with his appearances and creating a body of work that could be consumed in various ways, including prints, fashion, advertising, literature, and film, rather than just being viewed on a gallery wall. This volume presents Dalí's work and personality, highlighting his provocative compositions centered around themes of death, decay, and eroticism.