Salvador Dali’s – Spain

Salvador Dalí, the iconic Surrealist artist known for his unconventional, dream-like sculptures and art, was born in Figueres, Spain, in 1904. He attended school in Figueres and spent his school holidays in Cadaqués by the sea, where his family had a summer home. By the age of 14, his Impressionist paintings were being acclaimed by the art world.

The town square in Figueres.

The square outside Dali’s Museum, dotted with his sculptures.

In 1929, at the age of twenty-five, Dali moved to France, where he experimented with several new mediums and was invited by André Breton to join the Surrealist group of artists.
In the same year, he met Gala, who was ten years his senior and married to the poet Paul Eluard. For Dali, it was love at first sight. He became obsessed with Gala. In 1934, they married. Gala became his muse, his inspiration, confidant, and business manager. She died in 1982 in their home in Port Lligat, Cadaqués, Spain, and was buried in her castle in Púbol.

Dali frequently painted Gala

Dali was devastated by the loss of his wife and muse and fell into a deep depression. Gala had not only been the love of his life, but she also handled all the details of managing and negotiating with galleries and museums for his exhibitions, as well as organizing their social life and daily living, which freed up Dali to focus all his energy on his art.

Gala’s grave in her Pubol home.

Port Lligat
If you are a lover of Dali’s work, I recommend paying a visit to Port Lligat – Cadaqués. Standing in front of his home, looking out at the cove, makes one feel as though one has been dropped into one of his paintings. The cove is the setting for many of his paintings.

Dali’s home in Port Lligat

Dali in Port Lligat

Púbol
In 1968, Dali purchased an ancient castle for Gala in Púbol.  Gala stipulated that he could not visit her there without her written permission. She evidently needed her quiet time away from her genius, idiosyncratic husband in the later years of her life.
Dali lovingly refurbished the Púbol castle, paying attention to every detail, while Gala had a say in the design, furnishings, and management of the costs involved.

The Púbol home/castle is open to visitors. On display are the original furnishings, Dali and Gala’s cars, their wagon, and the gardens, where Dali placed sculptures of elephants with long, spindly legs among the foliage. The creation of this visual contrast portrays the juxtaposition of strength and fragility, a theme often present in Dali’s paintings.

The pond, surrounded by sculptures and gardens, creates a synthesis of sculpture and nature.

Púbol is a tiny village with fewer than 200 inhabitants. The surrounding landscape is populated with refurbished stone homes that overlook acres of fertile farmland.

Figueres:
In 1974, Dali established a museum to house his art in Figueres, the town of his childhood. He repurposed the abandoned municipal theater, which was bombed and severely damaged during the Spanish Civil War.

The spectacular courtyard-entrance to the museum.

The theater held a special meaning for Dali. It was there that, at the age of 14, his art was exhibited for the first time. Dali presided over every aspect of the new construction, the architectural design, and the placing of every painting and sculpture in his museum.

Today, his museum is the highlight of a visit to Figueres. Visitors from around the world flock there, and children from Figueres and the surrounding towns are introduced to his work, which has them enraptured by his fairytale-like art and sculptures.

**Note: I recommend arriving when the museum opens to get a head start on all the tour groups.