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After the Second World War, Dali converted, by his own account, to mysticism. The beginning of the Atomic Era strongly influenced his thinking and led to a strong spiritual foundation for his paintings which he made with a great appreciation for the classic art of painting. The temptation of Saint Anthony originated from an entry for a film poster competition. It shows Dal's nuclear mysticism in all its fierceness. A naked Antonius wards off an frightening mounting horse with a sword, which, standing on legs as thin as gossamer, defies the laws of gravity. The Saint tries not to be seduced by the earthly temptations, symbolised by the horse as a symbol of power, followed by almost floating elephants which carry on their backs symbols of lust and greed. Here Dal dovetails with a classical painter's theme, which before was used by the painters Bosch and Breugel, Dal's surrealistic predecessors. Dal, though, let the frightful temptations act in an alienating world between heaven and earth. However, this "levitation" will later reappear frequently as a theme in his work.
ABOUT THE ART PERIOD: Dalisublimated his life in his art of painting. Relying on greatcraftsmanship, acquired in all sorts of art experiments, he liftedsurrealism, in an inimitable self-willed manner, to exceptionalheights. He photographed, as it were, associatively what was enacted inhis mind. Incited by, at the time, new psychological insights he triedto fix his subconscious with images, and to visualize his dreams in alltheir inscrutable symbolism. It was for this purpose that he developedhis famous "paranoid-critical" method. To us, one dimensional mortalsouls, only the paintings and other expressions remain as fascinatingwitnesses to a literally unbelievably intense and active life. Perhapswe are so drawn to them because not only do they allow us to have alook inside Dalis subconscious, but they also are a mirror reflectingour own souls.
Part of the Parastone Museum Collection. |
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