Shop art print and framed art The Persistence of Memory, 1931 by Salvador Dali

The Persistence of Memory: a plunge into Dalí's dreamlike universe

The Persistence of Memory, better known to the general public as Les montres molles, is undoubtedly one of the most emblematic works by Salvador Dalí, but also of the entire Surrealism movement. Painted in 1931, this oil on canvas of modest dimensions (24 × 33 cm) is kept at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It fascinates with its unusual imagery and the evocative power of its symbols, inviting the viewer to a profound reflection on the passage of time, reality and the unconscious.

The Persistence of Memory: The unconscious at the origins of an iconic work

To understand the genesis of The Persistence of Memory, we need to immerse ourselves in the seething context of the 1930s and the rise of the Surrealist movement. Dalí, a leading figure in this artistic movement, was exploring the twists and turns of the unconscious, and seeking to translate his dreams, thoughts and obsessions onto canvas.

The idea behind this work is to create a work of art.

The idea for this painting is said to have come to him while observing a camembert sinking from the heat. This banal image triggers a series of associations in him, leading him to depict soft watches, symbols of his haunting of time and what lies beneath his shell created from his relationship with Gala.

A disorienting, dreamlike landscape surrounds The Persistence of Memory

At first glance, The Persistence of Memory plunges us into a strange, desert-like universe. An orange sky dominates an arid landscape where the horizon line is lost in the distance. Steep cliffs rise up in the background, while in the foreground, disparate elements seem to litter the ground. A landscape created in advance and inspired by Portlligat, where Dalí had recently bought a house, the general atmosphere is that of a dream, of an altered reality where the laws of physics no longer apply. The colors, warm and saturated, contribute to reinforcing this impression of unreality.

Soft watches as the central subject of The Persistence of Memory

The painting's central element is unquestionably the presence of three soft watches, randomly arranged in the composition, these having been added on top of the previously painted landscape. One of them rests on an indefinable organic form, which no doubt turns out to be a distorted representation of his canvas Le Grand masturbateur, while another hangs limply on the branch of a withered olive tree. The third, resting on a rectangular piece of furniture, only part of which can be seen, seems to flow inexorably. These distorted, almost liquid watches do not present the same time, and symbolize the passage of time and its fear of death.

Symbolism of other elements in The Persistence of Memory

In addition to the soft watches, other elements in the painting contribute to the work's symbolic richness. A fourth, solid watch is turned upside down and covered in ants, and seems to represent an object belonging to the artist's father, as well as the bad relations between the two men (ants being abhorred by Dalí, and symbolizing destruction). The dead tree, meanwhile, reinforces the idea of decrepitude and the passage of time, and the rectangular block represents solidity and permanence, contrasting with the fluidity of the watches.

The Persistence of Memory thus offers a multitude of levels of reading, inviting each viewer to interpret the work according to their own sensibility.

Impact and posterity of The Persistence of Memory

Already recognized by his peers as a renowned artist, The Persistence of Memory propelled Dalí to the forefront of the international art scene and quickly became an iconic work of Surrealism. It helped popularize this artistic movement and influence many artists, showcasing the paranoid-critical method Dalí had created shortly before. The painting also consolidated Dalí's provocative and eccentric image, reinforcing his notoriety and status as an artistic genius. Beyond its impact on Dalí's career, The Persistence of Memory marked art history for its visual power and its ability to challenge the viewer on fundamental questions such as time, reality and the unconscious.

This artwork is a painting from the modern period. It belongs to the surrealism style.