Quick Facts
Melting clocks, bizarre dreams: Dalí painted reality, surrealistically.
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Life Journey
Salvador Dalí was born to Salvador Dalí i Cusí and Felipa Domènech Ferrés in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain. His older brother, also named Salvador, had died nine months earlier.
Dalí discovers modern art on a summer vacation to Cadaqués with the family of Ramon Pichot, a local artist who made regular trips to Paris. This exposure profoundly influences his future work.
Dalí's mother, Felipa Domènech Ferrés, dies of breast cancer. This loss deeply affects him and is reflected in his later works, which often contain themes of loss and mourning.
Dalí moves to Madrid to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando. His eccentric behavior and unique artistic style begin to attract attention and controversy.
Dalí is expelled from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando for criticizing his professors and starting a riot. Despite this, he continues to develop his unique style and artistic techniques.
Dalí meets the leaders of the Surrealist movement in Paris, including André Breton, and joins the group. He begins to produce his most famous works, characterized by dreamlike and fantastical imagery.
Dalí paints 'The Persistence of Memory,' featuring melting clocks and a barren landscape, which becomes one of his most iconic and recognizable works and a symbol of Surrealism.
Dalí marries Elena Ivanovna Diakonova, known as Gala, who becomes his muse, business manager, and lifelong companion. Their relationship significantly influences his personal and professional life.
To escape World War II, Dalí and Gala move to the United States, where he gains international fame and continues to produce influential works. He also writes his autobiography, 'The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí.'
Dalí opens the Dalí Theatre and Museum in his hometown of Figueres, Spain. The museum houses a comprehensive collection of his works and becomes a major cultural landmark.
Salvador Dalí dies of heart failure at the age of 84 in Figueres, Spain. He is buried in the crypt of the Dalí Theatre and Museum, which he had opened in 1974.