American Fine Art Editions: Salvador Dali - Biography - Salvador Dali original fine art prints for sale. Buy Dali etchings, lithographs, sculpture & more. Salvador Dali biography. Buy Dali art. 800.466.8276

Salvador Dali (Spanish, 1904-1989)

Salvador Dali was born May 11, 1904 in the small agricultural town of Figueres, Spain. The son of a prosperous notary, Dali spent his boyhood in Figueres and at the family's summer home in the coastal fishing village of Cadaques where his parents built his first studio. The young Dali attended the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid. Early recognition of Dali's talent came with his first one-man show in Barcelona in 1925.

In 1929, Salvador Dali joined the Surrealist movement, after experimenting with other schools and movements including Dadaism, and Futurism. Dali quickly became the poster child for the Surrealist group not only because of his immense talent but also his flamboyant persona and unending public antics, attracting constant press and media attention. André Breton, the founder of the Surrealist movement, and other members of the group expelled Dali from the Surrealist group in 1934. Despite their insistence, Dali still considered himself a Surrealist and continued to speak at Surrealist lectures and was included in Surrealist exhibitions around the world. At one point Dali spoke out against the group proclaiming: “The only difference between me and the Surrealists, is that I am a Surrealist.” After his separation from the group, Dali found much success in the United States with his paintings and limited editions of his strikingly bizarre, dream-like, surrealistic, imagery. Dali worked in a variety of media including: oil, etching, aquatint, lithography, serigraphy, bas-relief, and bronze (sculptures).

In addition to his visual arts Dali was also interested and involved in performing arts. He collaborated with Alfred Hitchcock for his film “Spellbound” and also wrote a screenplay for the Marx Brothers in 1937. By 1940, Dali was moving into a new type of painting with a preoccupation with science and religion. The Museum of Modern Art in New York gave Dali his first major retrospective exhibit in 1941. Dali's autobiography, The Secret Life of Salvador Dali, was then published in 1942. In 1974, Dali opened the Teatro Museo in Figueres, Spain. This was followed by retrospectives in Paris and London at the end of the decade. After the death of his wife, Gala in 1982, Dali's health began to fail. The final years of his life were spent in seclusion, first in Pubol and later at Torre Galatea. Salvador Dali died on January 23, 1989 in Figueres from heart failure with respiratory complications.

Dali’s excellence as a creative artist will always set a standard for the art of the twentieth century. His artwork and legacy remain a strong influence to new artists and has forever changed the way art is viewed. Dali’s fame and following continues to escalate today, as evidenced by the museums and private collections that include his works, and the prices that his works command. On February 8, 2006 at Sotheby’s Auction House in London, England, UK a Dali pen and ink on paper, “Cheval et Femme Surrealiste,” sold for three times the high estimate for a total of $639,001.60USD.

American Fine Art Editions, Inc. represents the works of this internationally acclaimed master from his Surrealist compositions to his more realistic works that showcase his superb skill as a draftsman. American Fine Art gallery represents a variety of other world renowned artists including: Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Joan Miro, Andrew Wyeth, LeRoy Neiman, Salvador Dali, Marc Chagall, Marcel Mouly, Thomas Pradzynski, and more. Visit our 12,000 sq. ft. showroom in Old Town Scottsdale, AZ or call one of our International Art Consultants today. Our website is offered only as a limited place to browse or refresh your memory and is not a reflection of our current inventory. If you need to learn more about collecting, pricing, value or any other art information your International Art Consultant will assist you and give you the one on one attention you deserve. We hope you find our website helpful and look forward to seeing you in Scottsdale soon.