Salvador Dalí

SALVADOR DALÍ I DOMÈNECH (Figueres, 1904 - 1989)
Christ of Saint John of the Cross, 1974
Patinated bronze. Copy 3/8 of an edition of 8 numbered copies (1/8 to 8/8), plus 4 artist's proofs (I/IV AP to IV/IV AP).
Signed "Dalí" and numbered "3/8".
Bonvicini foundry stamp: "FONDERIE A / F.LLI BON / SOMMACAMPA / ITALIA" on the back of the right calf.
Publisher no. 2049.
File reference: 396.
Certificate of authenticity issued by Archives Descharnes.
Measurements: 308 × 120 × 122 cm.

A monumental and exceptional sculpture within Salvador Dalí's production, the Christ of St. John of the Cross is one of the most ambitious, singular and recognizable interpretations of his mystical iconography.
Inspired by the famous visionary drawing of St. John of the Cross -reinterpreted by Dalí in his iconic 1951 painting-, this sculptural version of 1974 transfers to three-dimensional space a radically innovative conception of the Crucifixion. Christ appears suspended in the void, without a cross, freed from any conventional physical support and elevated to a cosmic and universal dimension. The figure, of powerful anatomy and refined modeling, is supported by a single nail emerging from a pyramidal base, a symbolic evocation of Golgotha.
The absence of bloody drama and the idealization of the body refer directly to the Spanish classical tradition, in particular to Velázquez's Christ, which Dalí reinterprets from a modern and metaphysical perspective. In contrast to the baroque pathos, the artist proposes an image of transcendence, balance and absolute spirituality.
The monumentality of the work -unusual even within Dalí's sculpture- reinforces its museographic character and its condition as a piece of great visual impact, conceived for institutional spaces or first-class collections.

According to the renowned specialist Nicolas Descharnes, this work should be considered one of the most important creations in Dalí's sculptural corpus. In it, the artist condenses some of his essential constants: the fusion between mysticism and science, the reinterpretation of tradition and the will to transcend the physical limits of representation.
The Christ appears in a state of levitation, almost weightless, while the nail - disproportionate - acquires a symbolic protagonism that transforms the instrument of martyrdom into the structural and conceptual axis of the work. This alteration of scales, characteristic of the Dalinian language, brings the piece closer to other capital works such as the Corpus Hypercubus.

Edition: The present sculpture belongs to a very limited edition of 8 copies, in addition to 4 artist's proofs, which reinforces its exclusivity within the market. Dalí's large-format sculptures, especially those linked to his most famous iconographies, are particularly rare and in high demand.
The Bonvicini foundry (Sommacampagna, Italy), responsible for this edition, is renowned for the high quality of its finishes, collaborating with top international artists.

A work of great aesthetic and conceptual power, the Christ of St. John of the Cross masterfully synthesizes the spiritual, symbolic and spectacular dimension of Salvador Dalí. Its monumental scale, its strong iconographic charge and its limited edition make it an exceptional piece, destined to occupy a prominent place in relevant collections or institutions.

Salvador Dalí is one of the most influential, recognizable and sought-after figures of 20th century art, the undisputed protagonist of international surrealism and the creator of a universal imaginary; his work is part of the collections of the most important museums in the world -such as the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, the MoMA in New York, the Tate Modern in London or the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg (Florida)-, the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg (Florida), and the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg (Florida). In his mature production, marked by the synthesis between classicism, mysticism and scientific thought -the so-called "nuclear mysticism"-, he developed some of his most ambitious creations, among them the Christ of St. John of the Cross, one of his most famous iconographies; The strong international demand, especially for monumental sculptures and limited editions such as this one, reinforces his position as a safe and highly attractive asset in the art market.