Description
This painting originally comprised the left-most portion of a much larger mural featured in the popular and salacious Dream of Venus pavilion, which Dalí created for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Incorporating the artist’s major iconography of the decade, including a melting clock and a burning giraffe, the mural hung in the “dry” portion of the presentation. The adjacent “wet” aquarium featured a burlesque performance that complemented the pavilion’s celebration of classical beauty. The arched passage in this painting was mirrored on the mural’s right side in a panel that remains lost today.
Provenance
Commissioned by Dali World’s Fair (DWF) Company for the New York World’s Fair, Apr. 10, 1939 [DWF Co. contract, Apr. 10, 1939, Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, copy in curatorial object file]. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph R. Shapiro, Chicago, by 1966 [Letter from Joseph Shapiro, Dec. 6, 1987, copy in curatorial object file]; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1987.
Accession Number
70374
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
207 × 117.5 cm (81 1/2 × 46 1/4 in.)
Classification
oil on canvas
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph R. Shapiro
Background & Context
Background Story
Salvador Dali's Untitled (Dream of Venus) is by the most famous Surrealist painter. Dali (1904-1989) was known for his hallucinatory, dreamlike images rendered with hyper-real precision. This work likely features his characteristic melting forms, bizarre juxtapositions, and dream imagery.
Cultural Impact
Dali was the most famous Surrealist and one of the most recognizable artists of the 20th century.
Why It Matters
This dream of Venus captures Dali's hallucinatory vision.
