Salvador Dali

When most people think of a hero, they think of people like firefighters, policemen, and others who risk their lives, but this isn’t always necessary to be considered a hero. Many people throughout history have become famous for simply achieving historical events, not because they risked their lives, but because of what they did for the future. Knowing the past and how it affected the minds of people has helped our society function and advance throughout the years. The works of Salvador Dali are heroic to me because they show that he was inspired, artistic, and his paintings had historical value.

At a young age Dali was encouraged by his parents to explore his artistic ability. By the age of thirteen he held his first art exhibit of simple charcoal drawings. Later he attended college for art training, but was kicked out in 1926 for his arrogance towards the professors. Meeting Pablo Picasso sparked Dali’s interest in surrealism, and he began to work on developing his own style. After three years of practice, he had finally found his new style. The dedication Dali had was the key factor in the progress of his artwork.

Throughout Dali’s career as an artist, he experimented with many different artistic styles. Cubism and futurism are among the styles that Dali used when he first started out painting. He changed from this style in 1929 and became known as the most famous surrealist of the time. Eight years later he changed his style yet again to a more traditional view. Not only do the changes in Dali’s style signify his self exploration, but also the movements and events of his time.

One of the artistic periods Dali went through he called “nuclear mysticism” which occurred during post-WW11. He portrayed what was going on in areas of science and religion and used illusions to softly portray them. During his classical period he also began to paint well known events such as; The Last Supper, the Crucifixion of Christ, and the Discovery of America. These paintings were a few of Dali’s last paintings, and some of his most well known.

Salvador Dali’s dedication to his work is what makes him a hero to me. He devoted his whole life to bettering his art, and I think his final paintings showed his true style. The paintings that he created mark the times throughout his life, and the struggles in society at that time. Even though the memories of these struggles may fade throughout time, the paintings that Dali has created will be a constant reminder to those who experienced these times.