Description
Book SynopsisThis immersive dive into the life and work of Salvador Dalí unlocks the secret of this creative genius and reveals for the first time how his erotically charged paintings changed the world of modern art.
In turns beloved and reviled, twentieth century art, painter, filmmaker, and designer Salvador Dalí set Europe and the United States ablaze with his uncompromising genius, sexual sadism, and flirtations with megalomania. His shocking behavior and work frequently alienated critics; his views were so outrageous, even prominent Surrealists tried to ostracize him. Still, every morning he experienced “an exquisite joy—the joy of being Salvador Dalí,” and, through a remarkable talent that invited bewilderment, anger, and adoration, rose to unprecedented levels of fame—forever shifting the landscape of the art world and the nature of celebrity itself.
In this stunning volume, rich with more than 150 full-color images, noted art historians Jean-Pierre Isbouts and Christopher Heath Brown discuss the historical, social, and political conditions that shaped Dalí's work, identify the impact of Modern as well as Old Master art, and present an unflinching view of the master's personal relationships and motivations. With their deeply compelling narrative, Isbouts and Brown uncover how Dalí's visual wit and enduring cult of personality still impacts fashion, literature, and art, from Andy Warhol to Lady Gaga, and seeks to answer why, in an age of shock and awe, Dalí's art still manages to distress, perplex, and entertain.
Trade Review“A well-researched skeleton key with which to unlock some of Dalí’s many mysteries.”
—Kirkus Review
Table of ContentsForeword by Frank Hunter, Director of the Salvador Dalí Archives
- Introduction
- 1. Beginnings
- 2. The Early Years: 1922–1926
- 3. The Years in the Wilderness: 1926–1929
- 4. The Persistence of Memory: 1929–1934
- 5. New Horizons: 1934–1945
- 6. The Atomic Era: 1945–1955
- 7. The Mystic Universe: 1955–1960
- 8. A Return to the Past: 1960–1968
- 9. The Later Years: 1968–1989
- 10. Epilogue
Essays
- A New Interpretation of The Persistence of Memory
- Illusion and Meaning in Dalí’s The Skull of Zurbarán
Timeline of the Life and Art of Salvador Dalí
Further reading
Notes
Credits
