GALA IN SALVADOR DALI’S PAINTINGS

​Salvador Dali is a spanish surrealist painter who was born in May 11, 1904, in Figueres, Catalonia. He not only was an artist who painted, but he was also involved with film, sculpture, and photography. His education kept going in San Fernando School of Fine Arts, in Madrid, until he was kicked out with the reason that just before the final exams, he claimed that nobody in that school was capable enough to critise his art. He was influenced with the movements of Cubism, Dada and Surrealism.

He had associations with many other artists of

his time, one of them being the Surrealist poet Paul

Éluard. In 1929, he met Paul Éluard’s wife, Elena

Ivanovna Diakonova who was a Russian immigrant and

was named ‘Gala’ by her husband Paul Éluard. Gala

attracted Dali’s attention from the moment he met her.

She was ten years older than Salvador. The first time

he saw her was in Cadaquez, in the Hotel Miramar of the

Catalan shores on the balcone across, during the opening of “Un chien andalou”. He invited Paul Êluard, Gala and their daughter Cecile to spend their summer with him, in his summer house which the couple happily accepted. This trip during 1929 summer not only ended Paul

Éluard’s marriage of 12 years, but also started a passionate relationship between Salvador Dali and Gala which was going to turn into a marriage later on. In Salvador Dali’s secret life, he wrote: “She was destined to be my Gradiva (the name Gradiva is coming from the title of W.Jensen’s novel. In this novel, Sigmund Freud was the main character; and Gradiva was the heroine who made the psychological healing of the protagonist possible), the one who moves forward, my victory, my wife”. Dali had always dreamt of a woman he named “Galuchka” with his mysterious instincts during his childhood, and he made this woman the topic of his many paintings. Meeting Gala was a formation of “Galuchka” becoming flesh and bones. Gala was self-confident, talented, enterprising, attractive, someone who knew what she wanted, and she became Dali’s inspiration, manager, model, lover, friend and a leader of his existance.

Before Gala, Dali didn’t have much of an interest in women, they were just necessary for his ‘erotic fantasies’ to use in his art. He was very shy and inconfident about women. According to accounts, he claimed to be a virgin before he met Gala. Dali was defined to be sincere and fanatic by Sigmund Freud, whom Dali was a very big admirer of. He never left Gala, and he was attached to her more than the attachment he had for himself. In a poem by Dali, dedicated to Gala, he said:

“Narcissus, in his immobility,

absorbed by his reflection

with the digestive slowness of carnivorous plants,

becomes invisible.

There remains of him only

the hallucinatingly white oval of his head,

his head again more tender,

his head, chrysalis of hidden biological designs,

his head held up by the tips of the water’s fingers,

at the tips of the fingers

of the insensate hand,

of the terrible hand,

of the mortal hand

of his own reflection.

When that head slits

when that head splits

when that head bursts,

it will be the flower,

the new Narcissus,

Gala – my narcissus”

Gala, being eleven years older than Dali, was also creating a situation that could destroy Dali’s sexual fears. According to Freud, a neurotic person’s narcissistic satisfactory can only be fulfilled by falling in love with a person whom will be filled with that person’s ideal egos. This was defined to be “cured by love” just like in W.Jensen’s novel. Dali’s inconfidence also caused him to be very nervous around women, and whenever he tried getting anywhere close to women, he started laughing, hurting their feelings and dragging them away from himself unwillingly. When Salvador and Gala first held hands, Dali started laughing again, because of his nervousness, but instead of pulling away her hand with pride like other women would do, Gala held his hand even tighter, understanding the real causes of his laugher; apocalypse, hell and fear. Gala balanced Salvador’s labile psychological structure, organising his economical and daily responsibilities. She was a sort of twin, secretary, guardian, a second womb for Salvador Dali. Dali described this as : “Gala adopted me. I was her newly born child, her son, her lover. Gala teared apart the effects of destruction. The reason I did not go mad is because she took over my madness.” The reason he might be feeling like Gala’s son might be due to his family’s attitude towards him, destroying his self-confidence by psychologically replacing him with their beloved dead son and Gala’s affectionate behaviour towards him. This might also be related with Gala’s hysterectomy operation in 1936, enabling her from having children after the surgery.

Gala had been a great influence in Salvador Dali’s paintings. His paintings seem vain and ordinary before Gala came along, lacking the creativity that he seems to achieve later on. When Salvador Dali met Gala, he was 25 years old, just at the beginning of his career, which might also be considered a reason for the change in his artwork after he met Gala. Although there might be other factors, Gala’s easiness and comfort enabled him to use many nude and exotic female figures in Dali’s paintings, as she was his model at all times after they met. Another big influence of Gala was her persuasive and stubborn character, her knowledge on economy and advertisement, which had a big role in making Salvador Dali a globally known painter. In this investigation, Gala’s effect on Salvador Dali’s paintings in techniqual and thematic aspects will be discussed, by comparing painting of Salvador Dali before and after he met Gala.

COMPARISON OF “THE GREAT MASTURBATOR” AND “GIRL WITH CURLS” BY SALVADOR DALI

Gala was a great influence in

Salvador Dali’s paintings. The first time Dali

gave part to Gala in his paintings is in the

famous “Gran Mastrubador”(The Great

Masturbator). This painting had been defined

as realistic as a photograph, concerning the

technique Dali used. The critics commented on his painting as the hand painted colored photograph of the most sophisticated images of concrete unconscious. This painting reflects

the effects of the painter’s memories of Cadapues, the shores of the Cap de Creus and his short meeting with Gala. She appears from profile in this painting. Dali had painted this painting in 1929, the year he first met Gala. If this painting is to be analysed upclose, at the center of the painting, a distorted human face seen from profile who is looking down can be detected. It is said to be based on the structure of a formation of a natural rock near the sea-shore of Catalonia, hometown of Salvador Dali. Two years after he painted this painting, a similar face structure took place in another very famous painting “The Persistance of Memory” also in profile. In “The Great Masturbator”, a naked female figure, (a symbol of Gala, which actually looks like her aswell) is rising up from the back of the female’s head. The mouth of the rising woman is right next to the barely dressed male figure’s sexual organ, who is seen only from the waist down. He also has bloody marks on his knees. This position between the female and the male figures may be an implication of the start of a masturbation fantasy, as it is hinted in the title of the painting. This painting can be seen as a representation of Dali’s deeply shaken and confused attitude about sexual intercourse. Dali describes his painting as a waxlike, huge head, with pink cheecks, long eyelashes, and an impressive nose that leans onto the earth. This face doesn’t have a mouth, and instead, there is a grasshopper attached. The grasshopper’s belly is rotten, filled with ants. This huge head is completed with 1900’s architectural decorative motives. This is a “soft” autoportrait. In this authoportrait, Dali is tired and as soft as a ball of chewing tobacco. There are ants and spiders wandering around on him. Despite this miserable situation, the woman leaning towards the sexual male organ in order to take it into her mouth brings an explanation to the painting. Dali is drunkened with joy and happiness with the existance of Gala.

The painting “Girl With Curls”

was painted by Dali in 1926, 3 years before

meeting Gala, and also 3 years before he

painted his famous painting “The Great

Masturbator”. By this time, Dali started

developing new techniques, as this painting

is quite different compared with other

paintings of Dali he painted in 1920s. He

was 22 years old when he painted the

painting “Girl with Curls”. The girl with

curly hair who is standing in the foreground

area of the painting looks out of proportion with the landscape behind of her, since for the girl to be able to look much more above than the landscape behind, the buildings were supposed to look much smaller than they look in this painting. Also, the hills behind the buildings sould normally supposed to look above the buildings, since a mountain should normally be much bigger than a house. Even though this painting look out of proportion, Dali managed to create a dream-like inage which could be considered the hints of his technique turning into a Surrealistic style.

There is a very big difference in the styles of these two paintings, although “The Great Masturbator” was painted only 3 years later than “Girl with Curls”. Dali, later on in his career was famously known for his love of using nudity and sexual images in his paintings. In “Girl with Curls”, the most extreme sexuality he used in his painting is the Girl’s dress being transparent, revealing her bottom to the viewers. Despite this little sexual imagery he used in “Girl with Curls”, in “The Great Masturbator”, even the theme consists of a very sexual scene, the start of an oral sex is presented. This brings into minds that, after meeting Gala, Dali became much bolder in his paintings, being able to reflect his true imagination. Gala brought him confidence, sexuality, and the idea that imaginary having no limits. It is said that Dali was a virgin before Gala, and so the doors to sexual events in his life must have brought sexual scenes into his artwork, aswell.

COMPARISON OF “PERSON AT THE WINDOW” AND “GALA CONTEMPLATING THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA WHICH AT TWENTY METERS BECOMES A PORTRAIT OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN” BY SALVADOR DALİ

This is a painting by Dali, before he met Gala,

in 1925. This painting is called “Person at the

Window”. This painting includes a landscape through

the window, the reflection of the landscape on the

window, and a person looking out the window,

standing in a room. The girl figure is known to be

Ana Maria, Salvador Dali’s sister, and the light used

on the back of Ana Maria is Salvador Dali’s favorite technique. This painting includes different varieties of blue tones, giving it a melancholic mood. The landscape is the Cadaques Bay which Dali visited during summers. After the death of their mother, Salvador and Ana Maria got very close; Ana Maria was Salvador’s female figure model to help Salvador’s work, until in 1929 Gala came along to replace her. This implifies the fact that, after Gala came along, the female figures in his paintings took much more of a sexual, feminine, bold turn from the paintings which he used his sister as the Female model.

This painting, called “Gala

Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea which

at Twenty Meters becomes a Portrait of

Abraham Lincoln” was painted by Salvador

Dali in 1976, 6 years before Gala’s death.

Dali was a big fan of using complex

titles. The title “Gala Contemplating the

Mediterranean Sea which at Twenty Meters

becomes a Portrait of Abraham Lincoln” with the subtitle “Homage to Rothko” is one of his longest titles used. The title gives a clear definition of the trick he used in his painting, enabling the viewers to clearly understand the trick he used in his painting. When the viewer looks at the painting first upclose, and then 20 meters away from the painting, they would be able to see clearly first Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea, and later 20 meters away, the hidden Portrait of Abraham Lincoln.It’s placement at the Dali Museum where it takes place, is quite appropriate to analyse the painting’s two different imagery. It is hanged at the very end of a large gallery, enabling the viewer to back up 20 meters until the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln appears.

It was somehow thought to be irrevelant using Gala’s naked figure and Lincoln’s portrait in one painting, where it actually is a genuine personal contribition of Dali, as a sign of understanding of the American Civil War. Since Dali had personally experienced a violent Civil War in his own country, he emphatized the losses of America. He felt huge gratitude for The USA for letting him into it’s borders just at the very beginning of his artistic career, securing him from the violence of World War II. Lincoln was a representation of the qualities of America that Dali respected. Also, the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, which was the American volunteers to join the freedom fighters of Spain had great value of Dali, as they were fighting for the benefit of his own country. His country meant the world to him, since he was a Catalan, and for Catalans, their country had big importance which passed onto Dali, effecting his artwork in some way or another.

The naked female figure is Gala, Dali’s muse and female model which is seen many times in his paintings. The positioning of Gala in this painting is one of Dali’s favorite positionings. She is looking away in this painting, out the window, disabling the viewer to see her facial expression. Gala and Lincoln were both a representation of an ideal for Dali. Gala had always been a big inspration for Dali, though she looks greedy, hard to bear and cocky from the outside. She was mysterious and unknown to Dali, almost dreamlike, creating perfect environment for his artwork. At the left bottom corner of the painting, Gala and Abraham Lincoln’s small figures take place. Abraham’s small figure is collaged onto the painting by Dali, based on Abraham Lincoln’s picture on the $5 bills. There is also another important fact about this painting, which is that when he painted this painting, Gala was 82 years old, only 6 years away from her death. The nude female figure in the painting looks nothing like a 82 year old’s body, which proves the fact that in Dali’s eyes, Gala would always stay young and beautiful, as it is seen how Dali chooses to paint Gala in his paintings.

Above Gala’s head out the window, there is a crucifix scene with Christ’s head seen from above, with a bird’s eye perspective. A very shiny light is coming out of the head, implying that he is spreading around the sun’s light, brightening the Humanbeings’ lives. Although Salvador was not a very strong believer earlier, this was a time of his life that he adopted the beliefs of Christianity, when he painted this painting, at 72 years old.

The trick of optical illusion is a well-known technique, which Dali mastered early in his career. At this level of his talent, he was able to use double images in one painting just like in “Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea which at Twenty Meters becomes a Portrait of Abraham Lincoln”. His main purpose of using this illusion was not to prove his technical skills, but more importantly to reflect his belief in life being full of double images. As the outside look of an event, the inner meaning always seemed important. to Dali, and in many of his paintings, he was able to go deep to the inner meaning, giving it more importance than the physical appearance. Even Gala, looking a lot younger than she actually is in the painting “Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea which at Twenty Meters becomes a Portrait of Abraham Lincoln”, is an optical illusion Dali plays on the viewer, he sees a beautiful, young spirited woman inside of Gala, and he is very successful in reflecting her imagery as he sees it.

In both of these paintings, there is a female figure looking out the window. In the first painting, “Person looking out the window”, Dali had painted simply her sister looking out the window, in a realistic technique. He used a brightening technique at the back of her dress, and the painting is only painted in one, simple dimension. In the second painting “Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea which at Twenty Meters becomes a Portrait of Abraham Lincoln”, Dali had used his wife, Gala’s nude figure, looking out a window in the shape of a crusifix. An optical illusion technique had been used, creating two different images in the painting, as understood by the title of the painting. Looking out of a window, a gate or a door according to a Freudian perspective is known to be a fear of sexuality, and a wish for going back into mother’s womb. As well known, Salvador Dali had great fear of sexuality, constructed first when Dali’s father had a disscussion with Salvador at a young age, making him terrified of sexual diseases and sezual intercourse. Another fact in hand is that by the time Dali painted “Person looking out the window”, Dali and his sister had lost their mother. The first painting might be a representation of Dali’s and his sister’s deeply shaken mood after the loss of their mother, creating a wish to go back into their mother’s safe womb. Another interpretation of looking out a window can be explained due to the History of Psychology, as a sign of Alienation. According to Psychology, it is known to be a state of being an “observer” rather than being out there, with the effect of social pressure, and expectations. This quote explains Alienation in-depth, to clarify the similarities between Salvador’s mentioned paintings and his mental state at the time; “Alienation is expressed differently by different people. Some become withdrawn and lethargic; others may react with hostility and violence; still others may become disoriented, rejecting traditional values and behavior by adopting an outlandish appearance and erratic behavior patterns. As society undergoes rapid changes, and traditional values and behavioral standards are challenged, some people find little they can believe in and so have difficulty constructing a reality in which they can find a place for themselves. It is for this reason that social and cultural beliefs play such an important role in bringing about or averting a feeling of alienation. Alienation is a powerful feeling of isolation and loneliness, and stems from a variety of causes. Alienation may occur in response to certain events or situations in society or in one’s personal life. Examples of events that may lead to an individual’s feeling of alienation include the loss of a charismatic group leader, or the discovery that a person who served as a role model has serious shortcomings. Examples of personal events are a death in the family, a job change, divorce, or leaving home for the first time. Although most people may find that such occurrences trigger temporary feelings of disillusionment or loneliness, a small percentage will be unable to overcome these events, and will feel hopelessly adrift and alone.”(source: Encyclopedia of Psychology)

In conclusion, it is very easy to observe the differences in Salvador Dali’s paintings before and after his meeting of Gala. Gala had many contributions to Dali’s artwork, making him a famous successful painter. Her way of looking at sexuality broke the taboos in Salvador Dali’s life, giving him a perspective purified of the community’s pressures, and traditional values. Gala willing to model for Dali’s paintings was also a very important addition, since this enabled Dali to use as many nude figures in his artwork as he wished. Gala’s encouraging attitude towards Dali’s art had given Dali the confidence to express himself in any way that he wanted. Gala did not find his odd behaviors in his art and his life, which at the end gave him the chance to create original and extraordinary artpieces. Gala was not only successful in encouraging Dali, her stubborn character and her skills in advertisement also helped Dali in being as known in his time, as today. She took over the management and financial aspects of making him famous, which created a stress-free environment for Dali to create such masterpieces. Overall, she was not only a model, a figure in his paintings, but she was also a long lost piece that completed Dali, on his way to fame and success.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Joan KROPF, curator of the collection at the Salvador Dali Museum

Robert DESCHARNES – Gilles NERET, SALVADOR DALİ.

Artcyclopedia, Salvador Dali Museum

Rene RASSERON, SURREALISM

Lennie Bennett

Encyclopedia of Psychology

www.daliweb.tampa.fl.us