Salvador Dalí

SALVADOR DALÍ I DOMÈNECH (Figueras, Girona, 1904 - 1989).
"Lady Godiva".
Polychrome porcelain.
Exemplary 1011/4000
With justification of the print run and notary seal on the base.
Measurements: 38,5 cm. diameter.

"Lady Godiva" is a clear example of the translation of Dalí's surrealist imaginary to the field of limited edition artistic porcelain. Inspired by the legendary medieval figure of Lady Godiva -symbol of purity, sacrifice and transgression-, Dalí reinterprets the myth from a dreamlike, sensual and deeply symbolic point of view.

The equestrian figure of Lady Godiva is presented stylized, wrapped in a long golden hair that descends vertically, becoming a compositional and symbolic axis: hair as a veil, as a vital force and as a sublimated erotic element, recurrent in Dalí's iconography. The horse, treated with a light and almost transparent stroke, seems to float, reinforcing the sensation of unreality and temporary suspension.

The outer wing of the plate, topped with golden fillets, frames the scene and reinforces its character as a precious object, where painting and porcelain merge in a ceremonial support.

Dalí was attracted to historical and literary myths that embodied the duality between innocence and desire, and Lady Godiva offered him a perfect vehicle to explore these themes. The female figure, nude but idealized, is not provocative but symbolic, almost mystical, set in a space outside of time.

These porcelain editions are part of the artist's late production, in which Dalí consolidated his role not only as a painter, but also as a creator of iconic images reproduced on noble supports, destined for a cultured and international collecting public.

Most of Dalí's production is gathered at the Dalí Theater-Museum in Figueras, followed by the collection of the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg (Florida), the Reina Sofía in Madrid, the Salvador Dalí Gallery in Pacific Palisades (California), the Espace Dalí in Montmartre (Paris) and the Dalí Universe in London.