The 7 symbols of Dalí's work
Apr 05, 2023
From Dalí's work we can see how the purest meaning of Surrealism emerges. This art made him escape from his daily life and if we analyze his works we can see how we can obtain several recurrent symbolisms that made him express his own personality.
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1. Dalí's fused clocks
They represent omnipresence in time and identify their dominance of humanity. This idea came to Dalí when he dreamed of a Camembert cheese and how it was unable to withstand the high temperatures, melting without putting up resistance.
The Persistence of Memory1931, The Museum of Modern Art, New York
2. Dali Ants
Death is a recurring theme in surrealism and Dalí makes it present in the form of ants, alluding to the decomposition of the body. This use arose from the memory ofwhen Dalí was five years old he saw an insect that had been devoured by ants and of which only the shell remained.
The Ants, 1929
3. Dali Eggs
It is the symbol that most represents him and with it he makes reference to love and the hope of life. The anecdote that gives origin to the egg is that before he was born, his parents had a son who died at the age of five, his name was Salvador. When they decided to have another son, they gave him the same name to honor the deceased child.
Eggs on a plate without the plate, 1932,The Dali Museum, St. Petersburg (Florida)
4. Dalí's crutches
Crutches of all kinds appear in Dalí's work. It is a symbol of reality and a support when walking, so in his work it refers to an anchor in real life. It is also a symbol of tradition, supporting essential human values.
The dream, 1937.
5. Dalí's elephants
Strength and resistance are the two words that define this symbol in Dalí's works. They are often represented with long legs, with multiple joints and very thin, almost invisible, and they always appear carrying something. They also represent the future.
The Temptation of San Antonio, 1946.
6. Dalí's drawers
These drawers emerge from the Freudian explanation as a representation of hidden female sexuality. Dalí portrays most of the drawers slightly ajar, indicating that their secrets are out in the open and there is no reason to be afraid of them.
The anthropomorphic desk, 1936.
7. Dalí's snails
Symbol used in connection with a very significant event in Dalí's life: his meeting with Sigmund Freud. The geometry, the hardness of the shell and the slowness of the animal caught him and he did not hesitate to put it in his works, especially when he wanted to emphasize psychoanalysis.
The Snail and the Angel, 1977.
