Salvador Dali Biography

1916: Discovers modern art.

1921: Mother dies of cancer.

1922: Goes to Madrid and studies at San Francisco School of Fine Arts.Experiments with Cubism and Dada. Becomes a close friend of poet Federico García Lorca and film-maker Louis Buñuel.

1926: Expelled from San Francisco School of Fine Arts.First visit to Paris. Meets Pablo Picasso and Juan Miró.

1929: Meets "Gala" (a Russian immigrant. 11 years his senior and his future wife). In Montparnasse, Paris, he officially joins the Surrealist Group.

1931:Produces his most famour work "The Persistance of Memory".

1934: Salvador Dalí and Gala marry (in a civil ceremony). Expelled from Surrealist Group.

1936: Takes part in London International Surrealist Exhibition, Paints "Autumn Cannibalism" and "Soft Construction with Boiled Beans: Premonition of Civil War".

1938: Meets Sigmund Freud in London. Draws several portraits of him.

1940: World War II starts in Europe. Dalí and Gala Move to United States(they will stay there 8 years).

1942: First autobiography is published:"The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí".

1948: Returns to Catalonia, Spain. Much-criticised by other artists for living under the Franco régime.

1958: Remarries Gala in a Catholic religious ceremony.

1950-60: Artistic works include "Temptation of Saint Anthony", "Christ of St John on the Cross", "Assumpta Corpusculana Lapislazulina", "Sacrament of the Last Supper", "Discovery of American by Christopher Columbus".

1960-74: Works on the Dalí Theatre and Museum in Figueres.

1963: Anticipates Pop Art with his "Portrait of My Dead Brother".

1964: Awarded the Grand Cross of Isabella the Catholic.

1969: Designs the Chupa Chups (a Spanish lolly-pop) logo .

1978: The hyper-stereoscopic painting: "Dalí Lifting the Skin of the Mediterranean Sea to Show Gala the Birth of Venus" was exhibited for the first time.

1982: King Juan Carlos of Spain confers him with the title of "Marquís de Pubol". Lives at Pubol Castle. Gala dies on 10 June and Dalí loses will to live.

1983: "The Swallowtail" is the last painting that Dali paints.

1984: Fire in Pubol Castle. Salvador Dalí returns to Figueres. Lives in Theatre-Museum during his final years.

1989: Dies of heart failure (84 years). Is buried in crypt of Theatre-Museum at Figueres. Leaves his entire fortune and works to Spanish state.

He was famous as well for his quotations :
"At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon.
And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since."

"Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it."

"Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing."

"When I paint, the sea roars. The others splash about in the bath."
During his stay in america he was nicknamed "Avida Dollars"

Other facets of his genius and its creativity:

Produced more than 1,500 paintings (as well as illustrations for books and lithographs) during his lifetime.

Created artchitectural and literary works, sculptures, plus scenery and sets for theatrical productions.

Collaborated on works with various photographers and fashion designers (including Elsa Schiaparelli and Christian Dior.)

In the film industry, he was responsible (with Buñuel) for the short film "Un chien andalou", and for "Destino", the short Disney cartoon .

The largest collection of his work can be enjoyed in Spain at the Dali Theatre and Museum, Figueres, Catalonia.