17 Salvador Dalí Paintings That Changed Art in 2024
You have probably encountered many Salvador Dalí paintings whether you know it or not. Salvador Dalí is one of the most famous painters in history, known for his technical skill, precision and his unique compositions. Salvador Dalí paintings are known for their striking images that play with realism, color and shape.
Salvador Dalí is one of the most famous — if not the most famous — Surrealist artists and famous painters there is. Wondering how many Salvador Dalí paintings there are? He has produced over 1,600 paintings during his career, according to Open Culture, many of them being recognizable to even those with no interest in art.
His prolific career has led to Salvador Dalí original paintings prices reaching well into the millions of dollars.
Who owns Salvador Dalí paintings and how can you get your hands on them? Many paintings are owned by private collectors, however you can see some paintings at museums and institutions. Read on to learn about seventeen Dalí paintings that changed art.
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Interesting Facts About Salvador Dalí
Salvador Dalí was born in 1904 in Figueres, Spain. One of the most interesting facts about Salvador Dalí is that he refused to take his final exams and was thus expelled from his art school.
After the expulsion, he traveled to Paris in 1929 to join a Surrealist group, where he befriended other artists like Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and André Breton. Many of his paintings were influenced by Sigmund Freud’s theories on psychoanalysis. His fascination with this led him to explore the subconscious in his works.
Exploring Salvador Dalí paintings in chronological order, you can see how his work changed throughout his life and career. His early paintings are reminiscent of impressionist paintings, depicting more portraits, landscapes and still lifes. His later works begin to take on many of the Surrealist aspects.
The first painting of his that explored the subconscious and surrealism art is considered to be "Apparatus and Hand’, made in 1927.
With such a prolific life, many wonder how Salvador Dalí died. In 1989 he suffered congestive heart failure in Figueres, Spain, where he was born. Artists often attain posthumous fame, but Dalí was also famous during his lifetime.
Most of Dalí’s paintings hang in museums and institutions and others are in the possession of private collectors. Similar to Leonardo da Vinci paintings and Warhol paintings, most Dalí paintings won’t be for sale, but rather for auction, often for millions of dollars.
So what is Salvador Dalí's most expensive painting? The most expensive painting of Dalí’s ever sold was "Portrait of Paul Eluard" for £13.5M at Sotheby’s London in 2011.
Iconic Salvador Dalí Paintings
1. The Persistence of Memory (1931)
“The Persistence of Memory" is the Salvador Dalí painting most people are familiar with and arguably the most commonly known surrealist work in the world. This painting features clocks melting in a desert landscape.
He was inspired by cheese melting on hot toast. His painting techniques are evident through the details of this small painting.
2. Swans Reflecting Elephants (1937)
Another one of the most-recognizable Salvador Dalí paintings is "Swans Reflecting Elephants." This painting was produced during his Paranoiac-critical period, which was marked by self-induced states of paranoia.
3. The Temptation of Saint Anthony (1946)
This Salvador Dalí painting depicts Saint Anthony resisting and struggling against multiple temptations in various forms. Saint Anthony uses the cross to ward off the temptations.
4. The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory (1954)
This painting is in response to his most famous painting, hence the similar names. While some may see this as a recreation of "The Persistence of Memory" it’s more likely evidence of Dalí’s changing interest.
When this painting was created, the artist was more interested in physics and the quantum world.
5. Spider of the Evening (1940)
This Dalí painting is another continuation of "The Persistence of Time" also showing melting clocks with Surrealist imagery.
This painting showed the omnipresence of time and the habits of humans. It was also said to be inspired by melting cheese, which shows that you can be inspired by everyday items to begin oil painting for beginners.
6. Galatea of the Spheres (1952)
Salvador Dalí had a passion for the theory of atomic decay which can be seen in "Galatea of the Spheres". The work depicts Gala Dalí, the artist’s wife, as fragmented spheres, giving the painting a unique three-dimensional appearance.
7. Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening (1944)
This Salvador Dalí painting features Elena Dyakonova, Dalí’s muse and love, as the figure in the forefront of the image surrounded by surrealist elements of jumping tigers and elephants in the sky.
It was inspired by Dalí’s favorite book "Interpretation of Dreams" by Sigmund Freud.
8. Christ of Saint John of the Cross (1951)
This surrealist Salvador Dalí painting is said to be inspired by a drawing. It’s believed that Dalí was under the influence of ecstasy and had a vision that inspired the painting.
The painting depicts Jesus on the cross floating over fishermen in the water below.
9. Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War) (1936)
This Dalí painting depicts the horror of the Spanish Civil Wars though it was painted six months before the actual war. The pain and agony is palpable in the image though it's still done in the Surrealist style. Dalí stated he was aware of the beginnings of a war, which may explain the alternate title.
10. The Ghost of Vermeer of Delft Which Can Be Used As a Table
This Dalí painting was inspired by "The Art of Painting" by Vermeer and is Dalí’s interpretation of the seventeenth-century painter’s self portrait. It is a small oil painting but has tremendous detail throughout. If you’re wondering how to start oil painting, beginning with a self portrait is always a good idea.
11. The Burning Giraffe
This painting depicts a tall apocalyptic monster, who is described as a premonition of war, walking through a vibrant but barren landscape with a burning giraffe in the background. The burning giraffe was first used in "L’Age d’Or" before being used again in this painting in 1937.
12. Metamorphosis of Narcissus
“Metamorphosis of Narcissus" is one of Dalí’s paintings with the most unique stories. He brought the painting when he met Sigmund Freud. During the meeting they discussed narcissism and paranoia. And afterward, Dalí was able to sketch Freud.
13. Portrait of Paul Eluard
"Portrait of Paul Eluard" is Dalí’s most expensive painting. It sold at auction for £13.5 million. This painting depicts Paul Eluard, a poet and early founder of Surrealism. The portrait was painted when the two first met soon after Dalí moved to Paris.
14. The Sacrament of the Last Supper
“The Sacrament of the Last Supper" is a reference to the famous "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci. It depicts the famous bible scene through a Surrealist lens with some fantastical details added in.
Dalí painted using oil paints, but if you’re interested in painting, it’s a good idea to explore the differences of acrylic vs oil paint.
15. The Madonna of Port Lligat
This Dalí is a portrait of the Virgin Mary depicted, of course, with Surrealist style and imagery. It features Mary centered under an arch in pisces with the baby Jesus visible through her transparent abdomen.
16. The Swallow’s Tail
“The Swallow’s Tail" may seem like a minimalistic painting compared to some of Dalí’s other works. This painting seems to predict a balance of chaos and order, mixing art and science in a whimsical way. This is also Dalí’s last painting, completed in 1983.
17. The Galacidalacidesoxiribunucleicacid
The surreal name of this painting is fitting for one of his most surreal images. The painting is whimsical and filled with cosmic imagery. Human figures dance in the foreground while angelic figures fly around in the sky.
Salvador Dalí paintings are well-known throughout the art world and by art enthusiasts. Dalí was a key contributor to the surrealism movement and often explored the concept of dreams and the unconscious through striking images.
Salvador Dalí original paintings prices are often thousands or millions of dollars. Many private collectors and institutions own the original Dalís, with many able to be viewed in museums and galleries. Seeing them in real life is a whole different experience.
For even more painting inspiration, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
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