The Spanish painter Salvador Dali was well-known for his surrealist art. He studied art in Madrid and Barcelona and dabbled in many art forms. His particular style was the result of his affiliation with the Paris Surrealists, who were interested in the human subconscious, and his introduction to Sigmund Freud’s writings on subconscious imagery.
Dali began inducing hallucinatory states in order to access his own subconscious, at which point his painting style developed rapidly and from 1929 to 1937 he produced many of the great paintings that made him the most famous surrealist artist in the world. These paintings were known for their juxtaposition of real objects against a bizarre dreamscape.
In the 1930s, Dali turned his attention to a more classical style, after studying the works of Renaissance artist Raphael. He then focused on designing theater sets and interior design when he moved to the United States. During the last portion of his life, he began painting works depicting religious themes as well as childhood memories and his wife, Gala. He died in his hometown of Figueras, Spain, in 1989.
