Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) was a renowned Spanish surrealist artist, known for his eccentric personality, technical mastery, and dreamlike imagery. Born in Figueres, Catalonia, Dalí showed artistic talent from a young age and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid. However, it was his involvement with the Surrealist movement in the 1920s and 1930s that defined his career.

Dalí’s art is characterized by bizarre, dream-like scenes, often featuring distorted figures, melting clocks, and strange landscapes. One of his most famous works, The Persistence of Memory (1931), exemplifies his fascination with the fluidity of time and the subconscious mind. He was deeply influenced by Sigmund Freud’s theories on dreams and psychoanalysis, which he explored in his art through techniques like “paranoiac-critical method,” where he tapped into irrational thought to create surreal imagery.

In addition to painting, Dalí worked in sculpture, film, and photography, collaborating with figures like Luis Buñuel and Walt Disney. His flamboyant personality, mustache, and public stunts made him a cultural icon, and though he was eventually expelled from the Surrealist group, his influence on 20th-century art remains profound.