An important limited edition bronze study entitled 'Vision of the Angel' by Salvador Dali - Dali reinvents a classic religious depiction through an unusual surrealistic interpretation. As symbolised in this sculpture, the strength and supremacy of God is represented by a thumb from which all life emerges (the branches of the trees). To the right of this divine being stands humanity: a man bursting with life. An angel sits reflecting the duality of human nature and the futility of human endeavour emphasised by the crutch behind the Angel. Signed Dali, stamped by foundry Jemelton, numbered and stamped Opera.Persa.Perseo.S.A
LITERATURE:
This artwork is referenced in the Catalogue Raisonné "DALI, Sculptures & Objets, The Hard and the Soft" by Robert and Nicolas Descharnes, editions Eccart 2004. Page 240 Illustration #617.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Height: 42 cm
Width: 35 cm
Depth: 36 cm
Circa: 1984
Condition: Excellent Original Condition
Foundry: Jemelton
Materials: Bronze
Book Ref: Dali - Sculpture & Objects - by Descharnes
Page No: 240
SKU: 9240
ABOUT
Vision of the Angel
Step into a world where reality intertwines with the ethereal through 'Vision of the Angel', a striking Limited Edition sculpture that encapsulates Salvador Dali's surrealistic genius. This piece is not just an artwork; it's a portal to an alternate realm, seamlessly blending elements of nature and figuration with Dali’s unmistakable flair for the fantastical.
Within this sculpture lies a tapestry of colours, from the deep, earthy greens that whisper tales of verdant forests to the soft, creamy hues that provide a backdrop reminiscent of dawn's first light. Accents of sage and moss intertwine with shadows cast in rich sepia and subtle olive, creating depth and contrast that invite onlookers to explore every nuance.
'Vision of the Angel' is more than just an artistic creation; it's a narrative woven in bronze and imagination. A humanoid figure emerges with limbs unfurling like branches reaching for enlightenment, while adjacent, an abstract tree—or perhaps a portal—echoes this organic symmetry. The interaction between figures suggests communication beyond words: a celestial conversation between beings from different realms.
Positioned upon its base is an intricate depiction contrasting human invention against natural forms—a surrealist commentary on civilization’s imprint within the wild tapestry of existence.
Salvador Dali
Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech (* May 11, 1904 in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain; † January 23, 1989) spent his life exploring the limits of the human spirit. Which was sometimes reflected on the screen in bizarre dream worlds.
As one of the main representatives of Surrealism, Salvador Dalí is one of the most famous painters of the 20th century. But the universal genius was also a gifted graphic artist, writer, stage designer and sculptor. The year was 1956, when Dalí completed a sculpture that expressed all his creative power. Dalí was probably inspired by another important artist - Albrecht Dürer. As is known, in 1515 he had made a woodcut depicting a rhinoceros only on the basis of a description, since he had never seen the unusual animal himself.
Although coming from two different eras, Dalí and Dürer would probably have gotten along well. After all, both artists went into great detail with their works. However, Dalí would not be Dalí if he had not added a crown to his work, with a wink and a slight twirl to the famous beard. In Dalí's case, however, the crown mutates into a sea urchin. By arranging the rhinoceros with a sea urchin, Dalí succeeds in elevating the object of representation to a new level. Salvador Dalí, who liked to describe his associative and dream worlds as a paranoiac-critical method, thus alienates Dürer's depiction of the animal in a surrealistic way. Dalí's rhinoceros sculpture was created in 1954 as a large-format unique piece. The artist never realized an edition of this sculpture throughout his life. Dalí would certainly have been pleased that the original has been on display in the Marbella marina since 2004.
For those who would like to have the famous rhinoceros a few sizes smaller in their home showcase, there is an opportunity. Robert Descharnes, owner of the exploitation rights to Dalí's sculptures, authorized the casting of the small sculpture "Rhinocéros" in 1997, which is aimed at collectors. In the famous art foundry Airaindor-Valsuani, about 30 kilometers south of Paris, these and other bronze sculptures by Dalí. The unique piece in the marina of Marbella, however, in its monumental size exerts its own charm on the viewer. Quite in the spirit of the eccentric artist.
To see more Salvador Dali sculptures in our collection click here
