This immersive dive into the life and work of Salvador Dalí
unlocks the secret of this creative genius and reveals for the first
time how his erotically charged paintings changed the world of modern
art.
In turns beloved and reviled, twentieth century art, painter, filmmaker,
and designer Salvador Dalí set Europe and the United States ablaze with
his uncompromising genius, sexual sadism, and flirtations with
megalomania. His shocking behavior and work frequently alienated
critics; his views were so outrageous, even prominent Surrealists tried
to ostracize him. Still, every morning he experienced "an exquisite
joy--the joy of being Salvador Dalí," and, through a remarkable talent
that invited bewilderment, anger, and adoration, rose to unprecedented
levels of fame--forever shifting the landscape of the art world and the
nature of celebrity itself.
In this stunning volume, rich with more than 150 full-color images,
noted art historians Jean-Pierre Isbouts and Christopher Heath Brown
discuss the historical, social, and political conditions that shaped
Dalí's work, identify the impact of Modern as well as Old Master art,
and present an unflinching view of the master's personal relationships
and motivations. With their deeply compelling narrative, Isbouts and
Brown uncover how Dalí's visual wit and enduring cult of personality
still impacts fashion, literature, and art, from Andy Warhol to Lady
Gaga, and seeks to answer why, in an age of shock and awe, Dalí's art
still manages to distress, perplex, and entertain.
