home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Salvador Dali was born on May 11, 1904. He was a leader in the new movement of art in the early
-
- 20th century called Surrealism. In 1921 Dali studied at the San Fernando Acadamy of Fine Arts in
-
- Madrid. Here he was able to associate and learn from such Spanish modernists as Fedrico Garcia
-
- Lorca, and Luis Bundel. He also was influenced by Italian futurists and the metaphysical paintings of
-
- Giorgio de Chirico. In his early works, however, Dali gave credit to his own Catalan sense of fantasy
-
- and his megalomania as being his true motivating forces. Dali left the San Fernando Acadamy of
-
- Fine Arts in 1926, and move to Paris where he frequented the Cafe Cyrano, which was the
-
- ╥headquarters╙ of the Parisan surrealists. In 1929 Cafe Cyrano featured an exhibit of Dali╒s own
-
- surrealist paintings.
-
- Dali was also fascinated with the writings of psychologist Sigmund Freud. He was so moved by
-
- Frued╒s theory that he subsequently vowed to his life╒s ambition to ╥systemize confusion╙.
-
- Dali is best known for his surrealist works. Surrealism is an art style in which imagery is based on
-
- fantasy and the world of dreams. It is thought have grown out of the French literary movement in the
-
- 1920╒s and has it╒s roots in Dadaism. These painters developed a dreamlike, or hallucinatory,
-
- imagery that was all the more startling for its highly realistic rendering.
-
- Some of Dali╒s better known paintings are: ╥Persistence Of Memory╙ also know popularly as ╥Soft
-
- Watches╙ (1931), and ╥The Sacrament Of The Last Supper╙ (1955). These Paintings have become
-
- part of the definitive record of 20th Century art.
-
- Dali used many mediums to illustrate his inspirations. His most popular of course are his paintings,
-
- but he also used such media as jewelry, advertisements, beer-bottle designs, ballet sets, and
-
- costumes. Dali also experimented his talents in film as well. In 1928 he and childhood mentor Luis
-
- Bundel produced the famous surrealist film ╥Un Chein Andalou╙ (An Andalusian Dog). He and
-
- Bundel teamed up once again in 1931 for ╥L╒Age d╒or╙ (The Age Of Gold).
-
- Dali was easily recognized all over the world. He was know for eccentric yet styleish apparel always
-
- accompanied by a flowing cape, and a handlebar mustache, and popping eyes.
-
- Salvador Dali lead a long life in which he influenced people everywhere he went. In 1989 Dali died
-
- at age 86, a tremendous loss for the art community.