Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, 1st Marquis of Dalí de Púbol was a middle-class lawyer and notary, an anti-clerical atheist and Catalan federalist, whose strict disciplinary approach was tempered by his wife, Felipa Domènech Ferrés (1874–1921), who encouraged her son's artistic endeavors. In the summer of 1912, the family moved to the top floor of Carrer Monturiol 24 (presently 10).
When he was five, Dalí was taken to his brother's grave and told by his parents that he was his brother's reincarnation, a concept which he came to believe. Of his brother, Dalí said, " resembled each other like two drops of water, but we had different reflections." He "was probably a first version of myself but conceived too much in the absolute." Images of his long-dead brother would reappear embedded in his later works, including Portrait of My Dead Brother (1963).
Dalí also had a sister, Anna Maria, who was three years younger. In 1949, she published a book about her brother, Dalí as Seen by His Sister. His childhood friends included future FC Barcelona footballers Sagibarba and Josep Samitier. During holidays at the Catalan resort of Cadaqués, the trio played football (soccer) together.
Dalí attended drawing school. In 1916, he also discovered modern painting on a summer vacation trip to Cadaqués with the family of Ramon Pichot, a local artist who made regular trips to Paris. The next year, Dalí's father organized an exhibition of his charcoal drawings in their family home. He had his first public exhibition at the Municipal Theatre in Figueres in 1919, a site he would return to decades later.
On 6 February 1921, Dalí's mother died of cancer of the uterus. Dalí was 16 years old; he later said his mother's death "was the greatest blow I had experienced in my life. I worshipped her... I could not resign myself to the loss of a being on whom I counted to make invisible the unavoidable blemishes of my soul." After her death, Dalí's father married his deceased wife's sister. Dalí did not resent this marriage, because he had great love and respect for his aunt.
In 1922, Dalí moved into the Residencia de Estudiantes (Students' Residence) in Madrid and studied at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. A lean 1.72 metres (5 ft 7 3⁄4 in) tall, Dalí already drew attention as an eccentric and dandy. He had long hair and sideburns, coat, stockings, and knee-breeches in the style of English aesthetes of the late 19th century.
At the Residencia, he became close friends with (among others) Pepín Bello, Luis Buñuel, and Federico García Lorca. The friendship with Lorca had a strong element of mutual passion, but Dalí rejected the poet's sexual advances.
However it was his paintings, in which he experimented with Cubism, that earned him the most attention from his fellow students. His knowledge of Cubist art had come from magazine articles and a catalog given to him by Pichot, since there were no Cubist artists in Madrid at the time.
In 1924, Dalí, still unknown to the public, illustrated a book for the first time. It was a publication of the Catalan poem Les bruixes de Llers ("The Witches of Llers") by his friend and schoolmate, poet Carles Fages de Climent. Dalí also experimented with Dada, which influenced his work throughout his life.

More...

Early Life and Education

Artistic Development and Exploitation

Notable Works and Exhibitions

• Juliet's Tomb (Surrealism, Oil on Canvas)
• Mannequin (Barcelona Mannequin) (198 x 148 cm, Surrealism, Oil on Canvas)
• Landscape with Flies, 1964 (Surrealism, Oil)
• Study for 'Woman Undressing', 1959 (Surrealism, Oil)
• The Angelus of Gala (32 x 26 cm, Surrealism, Oil) These works can be found in various museums and galleries, including the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, which houses an extensive collection of over 2,400 pieces.

  Legacy and Impact

  Dalí's influence on Surrealism is undeniable, with his works continuing to inspire artists and art enthusiasts alike. His legacy can be seen in the numerous exhibitions and museums dedicated to his work, including the Butler Institute of American Art and the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery.
  • Explore more of Dalí's works on WahooArt.com
  • Learn about the Salvador Dalí Museum and its collection on WahooArt.com
  • Discover the world of Surrealism and its notable artists on Wikipedia.org

    Conclusion

    Salvador Dalí's life was a testament to his artistic genius, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire and intrigue. His works, now a part of various museum collections, including the Butler Institute of American Art and the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, serve as a reminder of his impact on the art world.